After days of criticism over remarks made in a recent interview about Chhaava, music maestro A.R. Rahman has finally responded. Addressing the controversy, the composer reaffirmed his deep affection for India and clarified that his words were never meant to hurt or offend anyone. He clarified that his lifelong intention has been to contribute to the nation in the only way he knows; through music.
Rahman concluded his message on a poignant note by sharing visuals of his iconic track “Maa Tujhe Salaam/Vande Mataram” being played at a cricket stadium, underscoring his enduring connection to the country.
Rahman opened his video message by describing India as both his guru and his home and said, “Music has always been my way of connecting, celebrating and honouring our culture. India is my inspiration, my teacher and my home. I understand that intentions can sometimes be misunderstood. But my purpose has always been to uplift, honour and serve through music. I have never wished to cause pain, and I hope my sincerity is felt.”
He added, “I feel blessed to be Indian, which enables me to create a space which always allows freedom of expression and celebrates multicultural voices. From nurturing Jhalaa, presented at the WAVES summit in front of the honourable Prime Minister and Rooh-e-Noor, to collaborating with the young Naga musicians, to creating a string orchestra, to mentoring the Sunshine orchestra, also building Secret Mountain, India’s first multicultural virtual band and the honour of scoring Ramayana, alongside Hans Zimmer. Each journey has strengthened my purpose.”
Rahman concluded his statement by saying, “I remain grateful to this nation and committed to music that honours the past.”
In an earler interview with BBC, Rahman had said, “It is a divisive film. I think it cashed in on divisiveness, but I think the core of it is to show bravery,” Rahman claimed in the interview. “I had asked the director, ‘why did he need me for this film, but he said that ‘we need only you for this’. It is an enjoyable film, but definitely people are smarter than that. Do you think people are going to get influenced by movies? They have something called internal conscience, which knows what the truth is, and what manipulation is.”
On the work front, AR Rahman is working on Ramayana starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol, Ravi Dubey and more.
The film is slated for release on Diwali 2026.
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