Filmmaker Subhash Ghai backs AR Rahman amid ‘communal’ remark controversy, says it is ‘unnecessarily exaggerated’

MUMBAI: Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai has come out in support of his longtime collaborator and Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman, following the latter’s recent “communal” remarks about Bollywood.

Ghai, who has worked with Rahman in films like ‘Taal’, ‘Kisna’, and ‘Yuvvraaj’, stated that his comments were widely misinterpreted.

“I have known AR Rahman since 1994. It has been several years. I go to his house. We still meet in the studio and we are still friends. Throughout the years, I never heard anything of this sort that he believes in the communal difference in the industry. I have always seen him believing in spirituality and humanity but never seen him talking about religion. He has written so many bhajans as well as Sufi songs. I was surprised when I heard such things. It is being unnecessarily exaggerated and stretched. He is not like that. The film industry is the most secular industry and we work like brothers,” the filmmaker said.

Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman, in a recent interview on the BBC Asian Network, said that work from the Hindi film industry has slowed for him in recent years, attributing it to changing dynamics in the industry over the past eight years.

Reacting to the same, the Oscar-winning composer, in a video message, shared how music has always been his way of staying connected with people and traditions. He went on to add that “intentions” can sometimes be “misunderstood”, but his purpose has always been to serve through music.

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“I have never wished to cause pain, and I hope my sincerity is felt. I feel blessed to be Indian, which enables me to create a space that always allows freedom of expression and celebrates multicultural voices,” he said.

Rahman’s remarks have been receiving reactions from all corners of the industry. Earlier, actors like Kangana Ranaut, Paresh Rawal and Ranvir Shorey also weighed in on the matter. (ANI)