Working with Oscar-winning music composer A. R. Rahman is a dream for any filmmaker, but when ace director Rajkumar Hirani joins the forces with the legendary music maestro, the union calls for a celebration.
The forthcoming Bollywood film, Sanju, which is a biopic on Hindi film star Sanjay Dutt, marks the first-ever collaboration of the industry legends Rajkumar Hirani and A. R. Rahman. Rahman, who has given us hundreds of memorable Bollywood numbers, has collaborated with Hirani for two songs.
The director reveals that it was the dissatisfaction of producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra which led him to approach Rahman to compose two songs for his film Sanju. “Since the song had already been shot, it wouldn't have been possible to record another number and re-shoot it. So, we needed someone to create a new song keeping in mind these visuals. Considering it required tremendous expertise, Vinod suggested Rahman's name. We called him and he immediately agreed to help us. I was touched by his humility,” says the filmmaker.
"It does not matter what time he works at or which part of the globe he works from. He is immensely talented, and his understanding of cinema is so strong that he can enhance your images with his music. He adapts to what you want,” adds Hirani.
A. R. Rahman shares that he was pretty surprised when he received a call from the makers of Sanju to come onboard as a guest music composer. “I was always curious to know how the magical team of Mr Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Mr Raju Hirani created these bold blockbusters together. I was pleasantly surprised when I got a call to be a Guest Composer on this one. I loved the whole process of creating the songs along with Irshad Kamil. Hope you like my two songs! Wishing the best to the whole creative team!”
Helmed by Rajkumar Hirani, Sanju stars Ranbir Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Manisha Koirala, Vicky Kaushal, Sonam Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Boman Irani, Karishma Tanna and Dia Mirza amongst others.
Produced by Vinod Chopra Films and Rajkumar Hirani Films in association with Fox Star Studios, the much-awaited flick rolls into cinemas on 29th June.
Amar Kanwar is getting a huge London show in 2026.
Will host a site-specific, immersive installation.
Feature both new and existing films, transforming the entire building.
A new catalogue will feature unpublished writings and a long interview.
Indian filmmaker and artist Amar Kanwar, a quiet but monumental figure in contemporary art, is getting a major retrospective at Serpentine North. Slated for September 2026 to January 2027, this Serpentine Gallery retrospective won’t be a standard exhibition. It’s being conceived as a complete, site-specific art installation that will turn the gallery into what organisers call a “meditative visual and sonic environment.”
Amar Kanwar’s immersive films and installations will fill Serpentine North next year Instagram/paolamanfredistudio
What can visitors expect from this retrospective?
Don’t walk in expecting to just sit and watch a screen. Kanwar’s work has never been that simple. The plan is to use the entire architecture of Serpentine North, weaving his films into the very fabric of the space.Yeah, the Serpentine's been tracking his work for years. He was in that 'Indian Highway ' show back in 2008. Turns out that was just the start.
What it is about his work that gets under your skin?
He looks at the hard stuff. Violence. Justice. What we’re doing to the land. But he does it with a poet’s eye. That’s his thing. And it’s put him on the map. You see his work at big-league museums like the Tate, the Met. He’s a fixture at major shows like Documenta. You don't get invited back that many times by chance. His work just has that weight. His art isn’t easy viewing; it asks for your patience and focus. The upcoming Serpentine show is being built specifically to pull you into that slow, deep way of looking.
Alongside the films, the Serpentine will publish a significant catalogue. It’s not just a collection of images. It will feature a trove of Kanwar’s previously unpublished writings, giving a deeper look into his process. The book will also contain an extensive interview between the artist and the Serpentine’s artistic director, Hans Ulrich Obrist.
The gallery is betting big on an artist who works quietly, but whose impact resonates for years. As one staffer put it, they’re preparing for an installation that changes how you see, and hear, everything.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.