Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman has received strong support from the Malayalam music industry after facing online backlash over his comments on alleged communal undertones in Bollywood films, including Chhaava. Rahman’s remarks triggered sharp criticism on social media, with some users calling him a “disgrace” — a response that Malayalam composer Kailas Menon strongly condemned.

In a widely shared Instagram post, Kailas wrote, “People blaming A. R. Rahman for speaking his mind are missing a basic point. He spoke about how he felt. That is his right. You may disagree with him, but you cannot deny him the freedom to express his experience.” He added that criticism had crossed into abuse and character assassination.

 

“Calling a globally respected artist a 'disgrace', questioning his faith, mocking his recent works, and reducing his lived experience to a 'victim card' is not criticism. It's hate speech presented as opinion,” Kailas wrote, stressing that Rahman’s decades-long contribution to Indian and global music cannot be erased over one personal view.

Rahman’s daughter, Khatija Rahman, reshared Kailas Menon’s post, signalling her support.

Popular Malayalam playback singer Sithara Krishnakumar also weighed in, commenting, “We have become a society where expressing a personal view invites dismissal, shaming, and ruthless judgment. Until it happens to us, we refuse to understand the weight of the moment or the complexity of the times we live in. Silencing voices has never solved a problem...listening has.”

Kailas in his post further noted that Rahman is “not a random voice”, but someone who carried Indian music to the world and shaped generations of listeners. “You may debate his opinion on a film. You may disagree with his interpretation. That's fair. What is not fair is public humiliation or attacking his integrity to silence what he said. Freedom of speech applies to Rahman as much as it applies to his critics.”