Chennai: DMK MP Kanimozhi has expressed strong support for music maestro AR Rahman amid the controversy surrounding his recent remarks on Bollywood.

In a post on X, Kanimozhi said she stood with the Oscar-winning composer, describing the criticism against him as disturbing. She praised Rahman for taking Indian music to the global stage and called him an “ambassador of culture and Indian values”, adding that he deserves respect, not prejudice or hate.

Rahman recently told the BBC Asian Network that his work in the Hindi film industry has slowed in recent years, attributing it to changes in the industry over the past eight years.

Veteran author and columnist Shobhaa De disagreed with Rahman’s remarks, calling them “very dangerous”. Speaking at a session at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2026, she said Bollywood has historically been free of communal bias and that talent, not religion, determines opportunity in the film industry.

Actor and politician Kangana Ranaut also criticised Rahman, calling him “prejudiced and hateful”. In a post on Instagram, she claimed that Rahman refused to meet her or compose music for her directorial film Emergency, allegedly viewing it as a “propaganda film”.

Ranaut said her film was well received by critics and opposition leaders alike for its balanced approach and accused Rahman of being blinded by hate.

The debate has triggered a wider discussion on inclusion, bias and creative freedom in Bollywood, with reactions pouring in from across the political, literary and film communities. 

ANI