The ‘Mozart of Madras’ as he is called – AR Rahman has now opened up on why Indian audiences are not hearing much of his mind-blowing music any longer. In what has come as a shocking revelation amidst already tense times for the ‘insiders’ of Bollywood, the Oscar-winning music composer has now spoken about how a ‘gang’ is working consistently to derail his prospects in Mumbai’s star-studded industry.
The musician composed nine songs for Sushant Singh Rajput’s last film Dil Bechara which premiered on Disney+Hotstar on June 24, and in an interview with Radio Mirchi, when AR Rahman was asked why he doesn’t compose more music for Bollywood movies, he said that some people in Bollywood have been spreading “false rumours” about him.
“See, I don’t say no to good movies, but I think there is a gang, which, due to misunderstandings, is spreading some false rumours,” he said, reported PTI. He further added, “People are expecting me to do stuff, but there is another gang of people preventing that from happening. It is fine because I believe in destiny. I believe that everything comes from God. So, I am taking my own movies and doing my other stuff. But all of you are welcome to come to me. You make beautiful movies, and you are welcome to come to me.”
During the same interview, the maestro also talked about how the director of Dil Bechara, Mukesh Chhabra was persuaded by some people in Bollywood to not approach Rahman for composing music for the film. The Oscar-winning musician then said, “When Mukesh Chhabra came to me, I gave him four songs in two days. He said, Sir, how many people said don’t go, don’t go (to him). They told me stories after stories. I heard that, and I said, yeah okay, now I understand why I am doing less (work) and why the good movies are not coming to me. I am doing dark movies because there is a whole gang working against me, without them knowing that they are doing harm.
Lost Money comes back, fame comes back, but the wasted prime time of our lives will never come back. Peace! Lets move on. We have greater things to do😊 https://t.co/7oWnS4ATvB
— A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) July 26, 2020
The revelations made by the legendary music composer have further exposed the rot in Bollywood. If an artist of the stature of AR Rahman can be targeted by the cabal of ‘insiders’ in Bollywood, one can only imagine the plight of those who are still trying to carve a career for themselves without a film lineage backing them. As a matter of fact, much of what goes on in the music industry of Bollywood, has, in the recent past, come to be controlled by some top superstars.
Whether it be Sonu Nigam, Arijit Singh or AR Rahman, artists who are not liked by a particular superstar, somehow, always end up suffering in the industry. It is Salman Khan, whose name is being associated with the struggle of these artists.
The animosity shared between AR Rahman and Salman Khan might not be known to all. In 2014, the two shared a stage, where Salman Khan referred to the Oscar awardee as an average composer. This visibly irritated AR Rahman, who did not indulge in a handshake with the superstar thereafter. What followed, however, was a brutal takedown of Salman Khan. When asked by Salman Khan as to when Rahman will work for his films, the composer did not reply. When asked the same question by a reporter, though, Rahman replied that he’ll compose for Salman’s films only if the actor does films which he likes.
AR Rahman has won six National Film Awards, two Academy (Oscar) Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, fifteen Filmfare Awards and seventeen Filmfare Awards South. For such an artist to find it difficult to work in Bollywood is yet another validation of the growing outrage that the film industry is facing. If AR Rahman insists that there is a ‘gang’ in Bollywood, we ought to take his allegation seriously.