Ustad Rashid Khan, whose mastery over Indian classical music earned him awards and accolades around the world, became a household name with Jab We Met's iconic song Aaoge Jab Tum. Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali expressed his grief at his demise: “Losing him at this age is unfortunate for all of us. The amount of love, dedication and hours he gave to music is a blessing for all of us.”

It wasn’t easy to convince Ustad Rashid Khan to sing for Jab We Met, recalled Imtiaz. “He was not ready to sing for the film because it is not usual for Ustads to do playback singing. But Sandesh (music director Sandesh Shandilya) was eager to have him on board. He went all the way to Kolkata to invite and convince him,” said Imtiaz, adding, “He finally agreed because he figured out how serious we were about collaborating with him and also the fact that we were big fans of his music. The way he embraced the song is evident in the fact that ‘Aaoge Jab Tum’ is the most famous and well-loved song from the Jab We Met album. Etched in our memories, it will live forever.”

Despite his stature, Ustad Rashid Khan was a keen learner. “During the recording he used to tell us that ‘Don’t treat me like an Ustad, but a newcomer because I am new to this (playback singing),” recalled Imtiaz.

“I remember going for his classical concerts in Jamshedpur. I was always a big fan of his singing, but after working with him I was enamoured and in awe of him. He had invited me to Kolkata last year for his son’s music event. Although I could not make it to teh concert, it was the last time we spoke,” said Imtiaz.

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For 16 years now, Aaoge Jab Tum from Jab We Met has been the undisputed anthem for broken hearts, and director Imtiaz Ali credits Rashid Khan’s soulful voice for making it the classic that it is.

Remembering the late maestro — who died at the age of 55 after a prolonged battle with cancer — Ali tells us, “I was his fan since much before I worked with him. The first time I met him was when I had attended his live recital of the Megh Malhar (a Hindustani classical raga). It started raining when he sang, and the belief is that when someone sings the Malhar well, it rains. That’s my first memory of him.”

Ali’s regard for Khan grew further when they went on to collaborate for Aaoge Jab Tum. “I realised how simple he is. He said, ‘Don’t think of me as a big singer. I am a newcomer who has never sung in a recording, so you have to guide me’,” the 52-year-old recalls, adding, “In fact, we had to convince him to do the song. It wasn’t an instant yes from him. And now, the track is perhaps the most popular one in my repertoire.”

Ali attributes Khan for giving the song a life of its own: “It lives on forever and that is owing to him and what he acquired over years and years of practising in the gharana. That is what brings that larger-than-life quality to his work.”

The filmmaker and the late classical singer would often have conversations about the song. Last year, Khan invited Ali to an event that marked the beginning of his son’s musical journey. “I couldn’t make it, but it was the last time we spoke... I’ll always be grateful to him for Aaoge Jab Tum. It was a blessing for my film,” Ali ends.