On a whim, he experimented with the melody as a song for Khwaja. The result was the full version of “Khwaja Mere Khwaja,” with lyrics completed by Kashif.
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When AR Rahman’s music touches your soul, it often carries a story far beyond the recording studio. Take the unforgettable “Khwaja Mere Khwaja” from ‘Jodha Akbar’. The song Rahman believes is closely linked to his double Oscar win for ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ in 2009. But interestingly, this Sufi devotional masterpiece wasn’t even planned for the 2008 period drama.
Rahman recalls visiting Ajmer when one of the Khadims suggested, “Why don’t you do a song on Khwaja? You’ve done ‘Piya Haji Ali,’ but not this one.”
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Rahman, struggling to find the right melody, replied, “I don’t know. Why don’t you pray that I get it?”
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Later, on a flight to Australia, Rahman tried composing a romantic tune but couldn’t get it right. On a whim, he experimented with the melody as a song for Khwaja. The result was the full version of “Khwaja Mere Khwaja,” with lyrics completed by Kashif.
A year later, director Ashutosh Gowariker approached Rahman about ‘Jodha Akbar’. Gowariker explained a scene where Mughal king Akbar, played by Hrithik Roshan, visits the small Khwaja Dargah Sharif in Ajmer.
Rahman initially thought Gowariker only needed two lines. But after hearing the full song, the director insisted, “Please give this song to me.”
Rahman agreed, but with one condition, no changes could be made. In his words, the song came at the right time, blessing him before his Oscars.
Rahman’s spiritual inspirations didn’t stop there. The hit item song “Mayya” from Mani Ratnam’s ‘Guru’ (2007) also had a divine spark. While on the Haj pilgrimage, Rahman noticed street vendors calling out “Moya! Moya!” for water. The sound stuck with him. Later, he turned it into a vibrant song, with lyrics by Gulzar.
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