A. R. Rahman is one of the two composers associated with the music of Ramayana. Recently, the Oscar winning composer made comments that surprised many fans and sparked widespread discussion. His remarks also acted as an eye-opener for sections of the audience.
In an interview with the BBC Radio Asian Network, Rahman spoke about Chhaava, one of the biggest hits of 2025. He said he felt the film leaned towards communal messaging. Rahman hinted that it relied on divisiveness and portrayed Muslims in a negative manner.
During the conversation, Rahman reflected on his early Bollywood journey. He said he learned Hindi and Urdu to compose film music. He pointed out that Urdu was once the backbone of Hindi film music during the 1960s and 1970s.
Rahman noted that things have changed over the last eight to ten years. He suggested that a shift in power and possible communal factors altered the industry’s direction. According to him, this change also resulted in him receiving less work.
He added that people lacking creative sensitivity now hold decision making power. Rahman said this has impacted not just music, but the overall creative ecosystem of the film industry.
Speaking specifically about Chhaava, Rahman said such films use symbolism to target one community. He felt this negative portrayal has become a cliche. According to him, Bollywood has repeated this trope for decades.
At the same time, Rahman clarified that filmmakers are free to express their ideas. However, he stressed that audiences are far more intelligent than they are often assumed to be. He believes people can sense manipulation and still retain humanity and conscience.
His comments received mixed reactions online. Many fans appreciated a prominent celebrity trusting audience intelligence and openly addressing the issue. Others, however, felt that Chhaava’s weakest aspect was Rahman’s music.
Some fans believe he could not emotionally connect with the subject. They feel this may have affected the soundtrack’s impact. Many wished he had delivered a stronger musical album despite his differences with the film’s themes.
