AR Rahman says Hans Zimmer asked all the ‘right questions’ about Ramayana: ‘Who is this character?'

AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer's score was one of the highlights when the first glimpse of Nitesh Tiwari's mythological film Ramayana was released.

Updated on: Oct 14, 2025, 15:42:53 IST

By Santanu Das

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Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana is one of the most-awaited films in recent years. The makers of the mythological drama unveiled the first glimpse earlier this year in July. AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer's score was one of the highlights, and fans are eager to see what's more in store from the collaboration.

AR Rahman discussed collaborating with Hans Zimmer for Ramayana.

In a conversation with actor-singer Shruti Haasan for NDTV, Rahman shared how Hans showed a lot of interest in knowing the story and the characters during the prep. (Also read: 'Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman hit so hard': Fans feel the background score of Ramayana first glimpse is the real star)

What AR Rahman said

During the conversation, AR Rahman shared, “We [Hans and him] had lost touch [for a few years], and then when Namit [Malhotra, the producer] ji was doing Ramayana, he said, ‘My two favourite composers are you and Hans and why don’t you two work together?' and I said, ‘Yes this project is so big and it will be a great honour.’”

Hans Zimmer was very ‘embracive’

He went on to add, “So we went back to him and he was very embracive, he was asking all the right questions as a Western audience… ‘Who is this character?’ Yes, so it is good that when we have a team from abroad who question because then it will be easier for the western audience to understand Ramayana.”

Hans Zimmer is one of the most revered film score composers and music producers working in Hollywood. His most notable and widely famous work is considered to be in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar. He has won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score, for The Lion King (1994) and Dune (2021).

In Ramayana, Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi essays the role of Sita, and Sunny Deol plays Lord Hanuman. Part 1 will release in Diwali 2026, while Part 2 is set to hit theatres on Diwali 2027.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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