Veteran musician AR Rahman revealed that he initially turned down a meeting with the late pop star Michael Jackson in Los Angeles. However, when the two finally met in 2009, just before Jackson’s death, it sparked the potential for a collaboration for ‘Enthiran’.

In a recent video shared by Free Malaysia Today on YouTube, covering Rahman’s interaction with fans in Kuala Lumpur, the celebrated composer and singer recounted the incident.

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In the video, Rahman shared how he had asked Michael Jackson’s manager for a meeting, but received no response for a week. “At the beginning of 2009, I was in LA with my agent. He introduced me to someone who managed Michael Jackson. I tested the waters and asked, ‘Can I meet Michael Jackson?’ He said he would send an email. After a week with no response, I thought, ‘It’s fine.’”

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Rahman went on to explain that as nominations for the Oscars began to come in for ‘Slumdog Millionaire,’ he finally received a reply that Michael Jackson was interested in meeting him. Rahman, however, responded, “I don’t want to meet him now. I’ll meet him when I’ve won an Oscar.” His confidence proved right, and after winning the coveted award, Rahman visited Jackson the next day. The two spent hours conversing and bonding over music and world peace.

The ‘Roja’ music composer added that Jackson praised his work in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and asked him technical questions. Rahman appreciated Jackson’s warm nature, noting, “He introduced me to his kids, but I was jet-lagged from working day and night. I was eager to return to India… It was unforgettable.” Upon returning, Rahman shared his experience with director Shankar, suggesting they collaborate with Jackson for a song in the film ‘Enthiran’ (Robot), starring Rajnikanth and Aishwarya Rai.

When Rahman presented the idea to Jackson, the response was enthusiastic: ‘Whatever you say, we will do it together.’ Unfortunately, the collaboration never materialized as Jackson passed away later that year due to illness.

AR Rahman, known for delivering numerous hits and memorable music over the years, boasts a commendable discography including popular films such as ‘Roja,’ ‘Bombay,’ ‘Taal,’ and ‘Guru,’ among others.