Paresh Rawal reacts to AR Rahman's controversy: After Oscar-winning musician's clarification on 'communal' remark, here's what the 'Phir Hera Pheri' actor said

Music composer and singer AR Rahman has been in the news recently after he claims that he possibly faced instances of "communal" discrimination in the last eight years in Bollywood. After the singer clarified about his remarks, as it led to an outcry, 'Phir Hera Pheri' actor Paresh Rawal has reacted to the controversy. AR Rahman took to his Instagram handle to clarify his stand, reaffirming his deep love and affection for India, highlighting that the country has always been central to his life and creative journey. In his message, the Oscar-winning composer reflected on his bond with India and art, and stressed that "he never meant to cause any pain".

Amid this ongoing controversy, actor-politician Paresh Rawal reacted to AR Rehman's clarification remark by re-sharing the post on social media. Paresh Rawal took to his X (formerly Twitter) and reacted to the video of AR Rahman referring to the musician as a "pride" of the country.

Paresh Rawal backs AR Rahman, calls him 'our pride'

A fan page dedicated to Rahman had earlier shared AR Rahman's video on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, “A.R.Rahman speaks out & responds with clarity.” Paresh amplified the post and wrote, “We love you sir. You are our pride.” accompanied by folded hands and heart emojis. "We love you, sir. You are our pride," wrote Paresh Rawal.



Paresh Rawal’s response triggered mixed reactions online, with many users unsure whether his comment was sincere or sarcastic. One asked, “Was it sarcasm??” while another remarked, “Reason why I like u as a comedian sir.” A third wrote, “Sorry, sir. I am not part of that, unless it’s sarcasm.”

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At the same time, several AR Rahman fans read Paresh’s message as genuine. One commented, “Sometimes you also say the right things!” while another urged, “Note: Please don’t delete this later due to ‘pressure.’ Let it stay.” Not everyone agreed, though. Some users objected to Rawal’s wording, with one posting, “Speak for yourself, Paresh,” and others echoing that he was merely expressing a personal view when he referred to Rahman as “our pride.”

What is the AR Rehman controversy?

During an interview with BBC Asian Network, AR Rahman was asked, "...today there's a lot of discrimination against the Tamil community within Bollywood. What was it like in the 1990s. Did you ever face..."

Before the question was completed, Rahman answered, "Maybe I didn't get to know all this stuff. Maybe God concealed all this stuff (laughed). I never felt all those..." before he went on to say, "Past eight years, maybe, because the power shift has happened... 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. But I would hear like Chinese whispers that this happened. And they booked you and the music company went and funded the movie and got five composers. And I said, 'Oh, that's great. Rest for me'." During the same conversation, Rahman also criticised Chhaava for capitalising on “divisiveness.”

AR Rahman “It is… I think it cashed on divisiveness. But I think the core of it is to show bravery.” Interestingly, A R Rahman said that the director insisted on him working for the project. In his words, “The director, I told him like, ‘why do you need me for this?’ He said, ‘We need only you for this’.” ‘Chhaava’, directed by Laxman Utekar, was among biggest hits of 2025.

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AR Rahman issues clarification

After facing sustained backlash online, AR Rahman has addressed the criticism surrounding his recent remarks on alleged "communal" bias in the Hindi film industry. The Oscar-winning musician has shared his perspective through a video message on social media.

"Dear friends, music has always been my way of connecting, celebrating and honouring a 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," Rahman said. Reflecting on his journey so far, the composer spoke about several projects that he believes have reinforced his purpose.

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"From nurturing Jala presented at the Wave Summit in front of the Honourable Prime Minister and Ruhi Noor, to collaborating with the young Naga musicians, to create 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," he added.

Towards the end of the video, Rahman expressed gratitude to India and reaffirmed his commitment to creating music that, in his words, "honours the past, celebrates the present and inspires the future." The maestro has won a clutch of National Awards for best music; more recently for ‘Kaatru Veliyidai’ (Tamil, 2017) and ‘Mom’ (Hindi, 2017) and ‘Ponniyin Selvan 1’ (Tamil, 2022).