AR Rahman has landed himself in fresh controversy after alleging that he doesn't get enough work due to communal bias in the industry. Rahman, who composed the score for 'Chhaava' called the film "divisive". He went on to add that there has been a power shift in the industry because of which he lost out on work.
Rahman added that the power shift could be communal too. Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen has slammed the music maestro for his statement. The noted Bangladeshi writer living in India under self-exile, said that Rahman is inarguably the highest paid musician in the country. She added that he should look at superstars Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan before making communal bias claims.
Taslima slams
"AR Rahman is a Muslim and is extraordinarily famous in India. His remuneration, as far as I have heard, is higher than that of all other artists. He is probably the richest musician. He is complaining that he is not given work in Bollywood because he is a Muslim. Shah Rukh Khan is still the Badshah of Bollywood; Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Javed Akhtar, Shaban Azmi —all of them are superstars," Taslima wrote.
She further went on to say, "The famous and the rich never face difficulties anywhere. No matter what religion they belong to, what caste, or what community. Difficulties happen to poor people like me. "A. R. Rahman is revered by Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, atheists, and believers alike. It does not suit him to be pitied," she concluded the post saying.
Imtiaz Ali backs him
On the other hand, Imtiaz Ali came out in support of the Oscar winner. The 'Jab We Met' director, who has worked with Rahman in multiple films, said that he hasn't faced any communal bias in the industry and added that he doesn't believe Rahman made any such comment in the interview.
Ali went on to say that maybe Rahman's statements are misconstrued. "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 of a single incident where there was any communal bias or animosity," he added.
