On 18th January, music composer AR Rahman broke his silence after facing sustained backlash over remarks he made about so-called “communal” factors affecting his work opportunities in the Hindi film industry. In a video message shared on Instagram, Rahman claimed that he never intended to hurt anyone’s sentiments. Furthermore, he reiterated that India remains “central” to his life and “creative journey”.
In the video message, Rahman described music as his primary mode of expression and said his purpose has always been to honour culture and uplift people through his work. He said, “India is my inspiration, my teacher and my home. I understand that intentions can sometimes be misunderstood, but I have never wished to cause pain,” and added that he hopes his “sincerity” is understood.
The composer further said he feels fortunate to be an Indian. He noted that the country has offered a space that values creative freedom and celebrates diverse voices. He credited this environment with shaping his artistic outlook over the years.
He concluded by expressing gratitude to India and reaffirming his commitment to creating music that “honours the past, celebrates the present and inspires the future”.
The video ended with chants of the “Vande Mataram” song composed by him.
What sparked the controversy
The clarification came days after, in an interview with BBC Network, he claimed that work from the Hindi film industry had slowed in recent years. He attributed this shift to power dynamics over the past eight years and possibly “a communal thing”, adding that such reasons often reached him indirectly through what he described as “Chinese whispers”.
While he claimed that he might not be getting enough work because he is a Muslim, many singers and music composers continue to thrive in the Hindi film industry. Be it Faheem Abdullah, Salim-Sulaiman, Arman and Amaal Mallik, Javed Ali, among others, they continue to get consistent work in Bollywood.
A R Rahman’s own ‘communal thing’
A R Rahman’s “communal thing” remark becomes even more baffling when one looks back at the allegations he faced in the past about similar bias. Back in 2020, Tamil poet and lyricist Piraisoodan made a shocking disclosure on how Rahman’s family had expressed their intolerance towards Hindu traditions and their symbols.
According to Piraisoodan, when he went to Rahman’s house upon his invitation, shockingly, Rahman’s mother asked him that he should not wear Vibuthi and Kumkum Tilak when he visits their house.
“I refused to remove the Hindu religious marks on his forehead,” Piraisoodan said in an interview.
Notably, A R Rahman is a born Hindu, who converted to Islam after his sister and father fell seriously ill, and a Sufi told his family to convert to save the girl’s life. Soon, Dileep Kumar became A R Rehman, and his mother Kasturi Shekhar became Kareema Begum.
Rahman had also once stoked a controversy after he allegedly blamed the Hindu deities for his father’s death. Rahman had said that the deities which his father worshipped had killed him. Rahman’s daughter, Khatija Rahman, had also triggered controversy by defending the burqa, without which she is not seen in public. She had said that the burqa empowers her.
