For decades, A.R. Rahman has remained one of India’s most celebrated composers, dominating Tamil and Hindi cinema while earning national honours and even Academy Awards. However, his direct presence in Telugu cinema has been limited.
While many of his dubbed songs became popular among Telugu audiences, straight Telugu projects under his composition have been comparatively few.
Industry observers cite multiple reasons. Some believe Rahman preferred selective collaborations, while others argue that Telugu filmmakers and the composer did not always find the right creative alignment.
Whatever the reasons, major Tollywood projects rarely featured him, and he continued focusing on ventures elsewhere, scaling new professional heights.
The scenario now appears to be changing. With Telugu cinema expanding its national and global footprint, budget constraints are no longer a concern.
Producers increasingly recognise the commercial value of strong music, including its streaming and promotional impact. "Chikiri..." song from Peddi demonstrated how a single hit song could significantly boost pre-release buzz.
Filmmakers are once again approaching Rahman. Yet his approach remains consistent, remuneration alone is not decisive. He chooses projects based on story strength, creative chemistry and meaningful collaboration.
“Well, A.R. Rahman can also take up mid-range films on the condition that the audio rights are assigned to him. If that happens, he can generate substantial revenue. Since producers need not pay him on this condition, AR Rehman holds upper hand on the music part of the project. The audio rights, sold under his name, can reportedly fetch more than Rs 15 crore even without major starcast. That becomes a significant deal not only for him but also for brand-conscious filmmakers. After all, who wouldn’t want to collaborate with A.R. Rahman?” said an insider.
