Javed Akhtar denies communal angle in AR Rahman’s Bollywood work lull

Agency,New Delhi, Jan. 18: Music maestro AR Rahman, known for breaking conventions with his disruptive compositions, is now in the spotlight for comments he made in a recent interview. The composer suggested that he has been getting lesser work in the last 8 years and said that the reason behind this “might be communal.” The statement has sparked a wide range of reactions from fellow artists and commentators. 

    Noted novelist and columnist Shobhaa De criticised Rahman’s remark, calling it “dangerous.” Meanwhile, veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has now offered his perspective.

In a conversation with IANS, Javed Akhtar said that there is no “communal element” in Rahman’s reduced work opportunities. He said, “I have never felt that way. Here in Mumbai, I meet many people, and they have great respect for him. 

It’s possible that they think he is now busier internationally, or that his programs abroad take up a lot of his time, so he may not be available for our projects. And since Rahman is such a big personality, smaller producers might feel intimidated to approach him. But I don’t believe there is any communal element in this. Why wouldn’t he work? He will work, definitely.”

Another prominent music composer, Shankar Mahadevan, also rather diplomatically weighed in, highlighting structural issues in the industry. He told IANS, “I would only say that the person who composes a song and the person who decides whether it will be released in the market are two different people. Often, those making the decisions are not musical professionals, which creates discrepancies. So sometimes, what we feel should come out doesn’t, because someone else decides for us.”

Singer Shaan shared his own experience, pointing out that even he is facing irregular work. He told IANS, “I have sung a lot over the years, yet sometimes I don’t get work. But I don’t think too much about it, because I don’t see it as something personal. Everyone has their own preferences, and it’s not in our hands how much work we get. We should do the work we get to the best of our ability. And whatever work Rahman saab takes on, he always adds his unique signature. He is a brilliant composer.”