New Delhi: Following the severe backlash after Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman’s interview with BBC Asian Network where he spoke about getting limited work offers in Bollywood was seen as a ‘communal remark’, several celebs reacted strongly to it.
Anup Jalota to AR Rahman: Dobara Hindu ho jaayein
Veteran singer Anup Jalota also took a dig at Rahman, saying if he feels that he is losing work due to his religion, he should consider converting back to Hinduism. According to HT, a video of Anup Jalota has surfaced on social media, where he said: “Music director AR Rahman pehle Hindu the. Uske baad unhone Islam dharm apna liya aur bahut kaam kiya, bahut naam kamaya, logon ke dilon mein bahut achchi jagah banayi. Lekin agar unhein is baat ka vishwas hai ki hamare desh mein Muslim hone ki wajah se unko filmein nahi mil rahi hain music dene ke liye, toh phir woh dobara Hindu ho jaayein.”
“Toh unko yeh vishwas hona chahiye ki Hindu hone ke baad, convert ho jaane ke baad, unko phir se filmein milna shuru ho jaayengi. Yahi toh unka matlab hai. Toh mera salah hai ki woh Hindu ho jaayein aur phir try karein ki unko dobara filmein milti hain ya nahi,”
What AR Rahman Said
For the unversed, AR Rahman said in the interview, “People who are not creative have the power now to decide things, and this might have been a communal thing also, but not in my face. It comes to me as Chinese whispers that they booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers. I said, ‘Oh, that’s great, rest for me, I can chill out with my family.”
In the same interview, Rahman also spoke about his experience composing music for Chhaava, which he described as “divisive.” He also revealed that he studied in a Brahmin school, where he learned about the Ramayana.
Rahman’s remarks sparked widespread debate, with several celebrities and musicians weighing in on the issue.