A R Rahman's Son Shares PM Modi's Praise, Daughter Cites Gita and Quran Amid Controversy

Mumbai: Music composer A R Rahman is at the centre of controversy after the "communal" statement he made in an interview sparked criticism online. In response, his children have stepped forward to defend him publicly.

Why are AR Rahman’s Children Speaking Out?

On Monday, reminding people of all the things A R Rahman has done to make the country proud, his son A R Ameen defended him by sharing photos and video from his career. 

Ameen, took to Instagram stories to post throwback clips and photos of his father’s career highlights. 

He shared an old video showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi praising Rahman’s music and influence. In the clip, Modi can be heard saying that Rahman’s work has “become a voice of Indian culture” and touched millions of people. 

In the video, PM Modi can be heard saying, "Be it AR Rahman’s music or Rajamouli’s storytelling, it has become a voice of Indian culture and won the hearts of crores of people worldwide."

Ameen also put up pictures of his father with President Droupadi Murmu while receiving a National Award. And shared moments from big concerts like performing with Coldplay’s Chris Martin. 

He also shared a video in which Rahman can be seen waving to a massive crowd at a cricket stadium while his Oscar-winning song "Jai Ho" is playing in the background.

These posts were meant to remind people of Rahman’s global influence and contributions to Indian culture

What Did Rahman's Daughters Say?

Rahman’s daughters, Khatija and Raheema, joined in backing their father. 

Khatija reshared the same clips her brother posted on Instagram. Raheema went further, posting written notes calling out what she described as bitter and divisive online arguments. One post pointed out that many people “don’t have time to read the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran or the Bible” yet spend much energy attacking others on social media.

One note she shares reads, “They don't have time to read the Bhagavad Gita, the Qur'an or the Bible - the sacred words that teach love, peace, discipline, and truth. But they have all the time in the world to argue, mock, provoke, abuse, and disrespect each other.”

The note continues, “This isn't religion. This is what blind society, half-baked education, toxic politics, and broken parenting have created - a generation more loyal to hate than to humanity.” 

The other post note reads, “Bhagvat Gita and Quran never fight in library. But, ironically those who fight over them are those who never went to library.”

What Set Off the Backlash?

The debate began after Rahman spoke to the BBC Asian Network about changes in Bollywood over the past eight years. He said the amount of work he gets from the Hindi film industry has dropped, and he suggested this might be linked to a shift in decision-making power and “possibly a communal thing”, though he said he had not faced discrimination directly. 

Rahman described hearing such stories through “Chinese whispers” rather than personal experience. 

The composer said, "People who are not creative have the power now to decide things, and this might have been a communal thing also, but not in my face. It comes to me as Chinese whispers that they booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers. I said, 'Oh, that's great, rest for me, I can chill out with my family."

Rahman later posted a clarification video of his own. In it, he said music has always been his way of connecting with India and celebrating its culture. He called India his inspiration and home, and said he never meant to hurt anyone’s feelings.