AR Rahman has always created a special place in the hearts of Indian music lovers on a permanent basis. Even with his comparatively weaker recent run, there is no denying that Rahman's legacy can't be tarnished or forgotten over a few underwhelming tracks. This is the man who achieved the near-impossible by cementing the North-South divide in cinema, as well as earning not one, but two Oscars to be won by an Indian. Rahman is nothing less than a legend. AR Rahman Birthday Special: 15 Brilliant Soundtracks of the Oscar-Winning Composer Which Surpassed the Failures of the Film and Lived On!

As Rahman turns 54, let's talk some more about his Hollywood sojourn, while also wishing him Many Many Happy Returns of the Day. We know about his Slumdog Millionaire Oscar glory. He had also scored music for Hollywood films like Elizabeth: The Golden Age, 127 Hours, Million Dollar Arm, Couples Retreat, People Like Us, The Hundred-Feet Journey etc.

And there were times when we watched a Hollywood film and suddenly an AR Rahman song or a piece of music composed by him pops up in the background to our pleasant surprise. Even when ARR is not the composer of the film. Let's look at five times Hollywood showed how much they admired AR Rahman's music enough to borrow it for some very crucial scenes.

The Accidental Husband

This romcom, featuring Uma Thurman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Colin Firth, features not one but three popular AR Rahman songs -  "Yaro Yarodi" from Alaipayuthey, "Swasamae" from Thenali and "Rang De" from Thakshak.

Watch the "Swasamae" Song Sequence in The Accidental Husband:

Lord of War

Lord of War, a drama based on an arms dealer's life, features one of Nicolas Cage's best performances. In one of the most haunting sequences in the film, Cage's character is tied down and he sees his plane being stripped down by locals. The whole scene is set to the theme music of Bombay, which of course, you know is scored by Rahman.

Watch the Scene below:

Inside Man

Of course, how can we ever forget the opening sequence of Spike Lee's heist thriller, starring Denzel Washington and Clive Owen? Even before Owen's narration sets in, we hear the familiar tune of "Chaiyya Chaiyya" from Dil Se... playing in the background.

Watch The Scene below:

Lion

One of the most memorable sequences in this real-life based drama is the scene where Dev Patel's character wordlessly and playfully flirts with Rooney Mara's love interest to the beats of "Urvasi Urvasi" from Kadhalan.

Watch the Scene here:

Deadpool 2

Deadpool's (Ryan Reynolds) aide and cab-driver Dopinder (Karan Soni) is an Indian, and of course, love playing Hindi songs in his taxi. In a comic scene near the climax of this superhero sequel, his playing of Swades song "Yun Hi Chala Chal" results in a hilarious exchange between Deadpool and Cable (Josh Brolin). Deadpool 2: Ryan Reynolds' Superhero Film has a Shah Rukh Khan Connection - Check it Out Here.

Watch the Scene:

Let's once again wish AR Rahman a very Happy Birthday! We are of course eagerly waiting for his production, 99 Songs, which he had written and also composed the score for. Rahman is also turning director with his international film, Le Musk.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 06, 2021 09:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).