AR Rahman calls Chhaava 'divisive,' reveals why he’s getting less work in Bollywood: 'Could be a communal thing'
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "AR Rahman calls Chhaava 'divisive,' reveals why he’s getting less work in Bollywood: 'Could be a communal thing'")
AR Rahman, Vicky Kaushal Photograph: (AFP/ Instagram)
AR Rahman has sparked a controversy online after sharing his opinions on Vicky Kaushal's film Chhaava and the changing dynamics of the Hindi film industry. Read on to know more.
Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman has recently been creating headlines for his comments on the changing dynamics of the Hindi film industry. Recently, he opened up about his association with Vicky Kaushal's Chhaava and why he has received less work in Bollywood over the past eight years.
AR Rahman calls Chhaava “divisive”
During an interview with BBC Asian Network, the 59-year-old music maestro opened up about working in Chhaava, a box-office hit film based on the life of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. "It is a divisive film. I think it cashed in on divisiveness, but I think the core of it is to show bravery," Rahman said, adding that he had even questioned the director about why he was chosen for the project. “I asked him, 'Why do you need me for this film?' and he said, ‘We need only you for this.’”
He further stated that audiences can differentiate between art and manipulation, "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 an internal conscience, which knows what the truth is and what manipulation is," he said.
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Rahman also expressed pride in scoring a film, "Chhaava is the most celebrated character. It is like the blood of every Maratha. Once the film finishes, you see the girl saying beautiful poetry. It’s very moving. I’m so honoured to have scored that full movie, which has the pulse and soul of every Maratha," he said.
Rahman on the use of religious phrases
Sharing about the film’s use of religious phrases such as “Subhanallah” and “Alhamdulillah” during moments of violence, Rahman said, “That is such a cliché. It is cringe. People are not that foolish to get influenced by false information. I have great faith in humanity.”
AR Rahman opens up about losing work
During the interview, the composer revealed that he has lost out on work in Hindi cinema over the past eight years. "Maybe in the past eight years, a power shift has happened. People who are not creative have the power now," Rahman said. "It might be a communal thing also… but it’s 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."
Rahman, however, claimed that he is not chasing work. "I’m not in search of work. I want work to come to me; my sincerity to earn work. Whatever I deserve, I get," the composer said.
Kinds of films Rahman avoids
The composer also stated that he intentionally avoids projects with questionable intent. “Some films are made with bad intentions. I try to avoid those movies. That’s the reason God is giving more power to people like us, so that we can replace the bad with good by word, action, art.”
About Chhaava
Released in 2025, Chhaava also starred Akshaye Khanna, Rashmika Mandanna, and Vineet Kumar Singh. It emerged as the highest-grossing film of 2025 for several months before being overtaken by Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar in December.
