AR Ameen calls working with AR Rahman on ‘Bheegi Bheegi’ an honour and privilege: ‘We have a lot of respect for each other’

AR Rahman’s musical legacy spans decades and continents. Now, his son AR Ameen is steadily carving out a space of his own in the industry. His latest track ‘Bheegi Bheegi’, created with his father and featuring Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur, marks a significant milestone in his journey.Ameen described the experience of collaborating with Rahman as both emotional and inspiring. He spoke about the mutual respect they share as artists, beyond their family bond. “It was a great and very nice feeling to have him with me on the song,” he told Hindustan Times. He emphasised that their connection in the studio is rooted in professionalism as much as affection. “We have a lot of respect for each other professionally too.”Being the son of a global icon inevitably brings scrutiny. Ameen acknowledged the mix of admiration and criticism that comes with the territory but said it does not shake his focus. “It comes with the territory. The whole package is that there is hate and there is love.”Rather than inviting comparisons, he wants to remain authentic. “I'm trying to pave my own path. I'm not trying to be like anyone, and I hope my originality stays.”He also shared a key lesson he learnt from observing his father’s journey. “What I have learnt from his journey is that don’t judge a book by its cover.” His goal, he said, is to let his work speak for itself over time.Ameen admitted he was pleasantly surprised by how the music video came together. Bringing Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur back on screen after ‘Sita Ramam’ was not part of a long-planned strategy.“In their respective busy schedules, I'm very grateful and glad that the timing could work where both of them could come and make this happen.”He confessed that he did not expect them to agree so quickly. “I didn't expect DQ sir or Mrunal to say yes.” The project, he revealed, had been in development for nearly a year before its release. “So it has had its own journey.”Ameen also highlighted the importance of recognising every contributor in music production. “We should respect every person from the lightman to the person serving us food… Everyone is putting a lot of time and effort into every role. So respecting them and the musicians is really important and I just want to convey that message and have a platform where I can bring up more people and give recognition to all of them.”He added that he hopes to use his platform to uplift and acknowledge many unseen talents along the way.