Imtiaz Ali says AR Rahman's remarks were ‘misconstrued’, ‘I don’t think there is any communal bias in the film industry’

Director Imtiaz Ali, who has collaborated extensively with Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman on films such as Rockstar, Tamasha, Highway, and most recently Amar Singh Chamkila, has come out in support of the musician amid the ongoing controversy surrounding his recent remarks.Speaking to India Today, Imtiaz dismissed the idea of communal bias in the Hindi film industry and suggested that Rahman’s comments may have been misunderstood or taken out of context.“No, I don’t think there is a communal bias in the film industry. I’ve been here for a long time, and I’ve never seen it, and AR Rahman is one of the brightest figures that I’ve met in the film industry,” Imtiaz said.He added, “I do not actually believe that he made all the comments that are being attributed to him, or maybe it’s been misconstrued.

In fact, I know that he did not say exactly what is being perceived. Also, I don’t remember a single incident where there was any communal bias or animosity.”

What AR Rahman said that sparked the debate

The controversy began after AR Rahman told BBC Asian Network in a recent interview that the volume of his work in the Hindi film industry had declined over the past eight years. During the conversation, Rahman hinted that this shift could be linked to what he described as a “communal thing” and also spoke about changes in the industry’s power structure, where creative control, according to him, has moved away from creative people.

His remarks triggered a heated debate across social media and entertainment circles, with critics questioning the basis of his observations and interpretations.Following the backlash, Rahman issued a clarification, stating that his comments had been misunderstood and that he never intended to “cause pain” through his words.

Rahman’s daughters Raheema and Khatija speak up in support

Amid the backlash, AR Rahman’s daughters, Raheema and Khatija Rahman, publicly showed their support for their father by sharing a post by music composer Kailas on social media.Kailas’ post strongly defended Rahman’s right to express his lived experience, while calling out the nature of the criticism that followed.“Disagree, don’t disgrace. 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,” Kailas wrote.

‘This is not criticism, it’s hate speech’: Kailas

Kailas further pointed out that the reaction to Rahman’s remarks had crossed the line from disagreement into abuse and character assassination.“What followed, however, has gone far beyond disagreement and entered the space of abuse and character assassination,” he said.Praising Rahman’s global legacy, Kailas added that the composer has carried Indian music to the world with dignity and shaped generations through his work.“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,” the post read. He concluded by saying, “Decades of contribution to Tamil culture, Indian cinema, and global music do not disappear because an artist expresses a personal view. 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.”