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AR Rahman is redefining the artist’s clock. In a candid chat, the music maestro revealed that he finds early-to-bed schedules “boring” and prefers working through the night.
AR Rahman calls early mornings “boring” as he reveals his night owl routine: waking up at 2:30 AM, sleeping at 7 AM, and composing music in silence.
A.R. Rahman’s love for the night continues to shape not just his music—but his entire lifestyle. Known for his ethereal soundscapes and groundbreaking compositions, the maestro recently opened up about his unconventional work routine, describing early-to-bed, early-to-rise schedules as “boring.”
In a chat with Mashable India, Rahman revealed that he’s been a nocturnal creator ever since Taal. “I never travel during the day. I’m a night owl because at night there’s no traffic—I can go anywhere,” he said, adding, “Sometimes I go to the dargah early in the morning, and before the traffic begins, I head back home and sleep. It’s been this way since Taal.”
He didn’t stop there. “I’m sleeping at night nowadays,” Rahman confessed with a hint of reluctance. “But it’s very boring to sleep in the night and wake up in the morning—for my lifestyle. I’m not saying it’s bad. I usually get up at 2:30 AM and go to sleep at 7 AM.”
The Oscar-winning composer also shared how a moment with the late Lata Mangeshkar changed his approach to discipline. “We were doing a concert for her foundation in Hyderabad in 2006. Before the show, I heard someone doing riyaz backstage—it was Lata ji. I was shocked. I thought, ‘Why does she need to practice?’ That day, I understood the meaning of dedication,” Rahman recalled. Since then, he’s incorporated a 30–40 minute daily riyaz into his own schedule.
Rahman’s long-time collaborator and Taal director Subhash Ghai once recalled the artist’s famously intensive sessions. “He usually records from 9 PM to 6 AM. We spent 70 nights composing Taal,” Ghai said. “When Kavita Krishnamurti came in to record a song, we thought it would take an hour. But he just kept recording. He told her, ‘Keep going until you’re fed up.’ That’s Rahman for you.”