An old interview of filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) has resurfaced on social media, triggering fresh discussion around the creation ofJai Ho, the Oscar-winning song fromSlumdog Millionaire. In the interview, Varma alleged that singer Sukhwinder Singh, and not composer AR Rahman, was responsible for composing the track, despite Rahman receiving the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
The video has resurfaced amid renewed public debate following Rahman’s recent remarks suggesting a possible communal bias within the film industry. In the interview, Varma recalled an incident involving Rahman, filmmaker Subhash Ghai, and Sukhwinder Singh during the making of Ghai’s filmYuvraj. Varma claimed that Rahman, who was delayed on delivering music, asked Ghai to meet him at Sukhwinder Singh’s studio in Mumbai.
According to Varma, when Rahman arrived, Sukhwinder played a song he had allegedly composed. Varma claimed Rahman approved the composition and emphasised that producers paid for his name and brand value rather than the act of composition alone. He further alleged that Rahman later requested Sukhwinder to complete and email the song, which was eventually sold to the makers ofSlumdog Millionaireand released asJai Ho.
Varma also claimed that Sukhwinder discovered this only later after receiving a payment of Rs 5 lakh, which he was told was his share for the song. However, these claims were publicly denied by Sukhwinder Singh. In an interview withHindustan Times, the singer clarified that he had only sungJai Hoand not composed it, adding that Varma may have misunderstood the situation.
Despite the resurfaced claims and renewed online debate, AR Rahman remains the officially credited composer ofJai Ho, and the Academy Award for Best Original Song continues to stand in his name. Sukhwinder Singh remains widely acknowledged for his powerful vocal performance on the track.
