During a recent interview, AR Rahman opened up on many subjects, including doing a ‘divisive film’ like Chhaava. The composer also pondered whether there is a communal aspect to him getting lesser work in Hindi cinema compared to earlier. On Friday evening, author and coloumnist Shobhaa De responded to Rahman’s remarks, criticising the Academy Award winning music director for the same.
Responding a question from media at a public event, Shobhaa said referring to Rahman’s remarks, “This is a very dangerous comment...If I have seen any place which is free of any kind of communal tension, it is Bollywood...There is no question of religion being a factor if someone is not getting a chance. He is such a successful man, such a mature man; he should not have said it. Maybe he has his reasons.”
Earlier, speaking to Haroon Rashid of BBC, Rahman had talked about getting a sense of increasing tensions in industry. He had said, “Earlier, I never felt any of those. In the past eight years, maybe, because the power shift has happened. People who are not creative have the power now to decide things.” In the same conversation, Rahman had said, “This might have been a communal thing also, but not in my face,” admitting that these stories often came to him as Chinese whispers. “Often, they booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers,” he added.
Among other subjects, Rahman also spoke about the experience of collaborating with Hans Zimmer on Ramayana, and talked about the positive influences of multi-cultural energies while working on a film like that. “I think we need to rise above narrow-mindedness and selfishness. When we rise above, we shine, and that is very important. Hans Zimmer is Jewish, I am Muslim, and Ramayana is Hindu. It is coming from India to the whole world with love,” he added.
Rahman, whose recent Hindi film albums include Chhaava and Tere Ishk Mein, is also the music composer for the much-anticipated Ramayana. He is also providing music for the Vijay Sethupathi starrer film Gandhi Talks that will release later this month.