The Golden Globe for Best Original Song for Naatu naatu in RRR has whetted our appetite for the Oscar.
Earlier A R Rahman got us the Oscar for Best Original Song for Jai ho in 2009. However that song was not quite as original as it seems.
Jai ho, the song that eventually went into Slumdog Millionaire was composed for Subhash Ghai’s Yuvraaj. It was supposed to be filmed on Zayed Khan. But Ghai found the song not quite suitable for the situation in his film.It was lying around unused. Gulzar Saab and Rahman asked Ghai to let them have the song for Slumdog Millionaire.Ghai happily gave over the song.
Subhash Ghai had confirmed this transference of creativity from his film to Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire.
At the time when the creative exchange happened Ghai said to this writer, “I happily gave the song to Rahman when he said it was needed for Danny Boyle’s film. I felt the song was slightly too soft and subtle for the aggressive character (Zayed Khan). I’m glad they could use it. Every film and every song has its own destiny. That song was meant to be in Slumdog Millionaire.”