Birthday special: Do you know AR Rahman was supposed to compose music for 'Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy'?

AR Rahman is one of the most popular music composers in the country

Academy Award-winner AR Rahman is arguably one of the most popular and sought-after music composers in the country. The 'Mozart of Madras' enjoys a huge fan following due to his body of work and a unique brand of music. Many feel that he can add depth to even mediocre films with his compositions. While almost everyone knows about his achievements, not many might remember that he was supposed to compose music for Tollywood star Chiranjeevi's dream project Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy.

ARR's name was featured prominently on the promotional material, piquing curiosity. Things, however, did not work out as the Dil Se composer opted out of the biggie due to his packed schedule.

"I'm human. I need to be practical on how much work I can take up," he had said while explaining his decision.

Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, directed by Surender Reddy, was a period-drama that revolved around the journey of a freedom fighter while highlighting the 'dark side' of the British rule. The film featured a few well-executed action scenes and 'massy' dialogues. The cast included 'Thalaivi' Nayanthara, Tamannaah, Amitabh Bachchan, Jagapathi Babu, actor-politician Ravi Kishan, Sudeep and 'Makkal Selvan' Vijay Sethupathi. The soundtrack, composed by Amit Trivedi, proved to be a highlight of the film.

Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy opened to a thunderous response at the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana box office, receiving rave reviews. It, however, failed to make an impact in other markets.

Coming back to ARR, he recently regained his mojo with the Hindi film Dil Bechara. The film, starring the late Sushant Singh Rajput, featured a breezy soundtrack that clicked with the 'Gen Y' audience. The title track, in particular, became quite popular. He currently has several films in his kitty including Vikram's Mahavir Karna, the Mani Ratnam-directed Ponniyin Selvan, and the Bollywood biggie Atrangi Re. He will be returning to Malayalam cinema with the Prithviraj-starrer Aadujeevitham, which is likely to hit the screens sometime this year.