Bollywood loves drama. But sometimes the biggest fireworks happen off-screen. The spotlight is on a sharp war of words between actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut and Oscar-winning music legend AR Rahman.
What started as a discussion about Bollywood’s changing culture has now turned into a personal and political clash that nobody saw coming.
Kangana’s strong attack on AR Rahman
Kangana Ranaut never holds back, and this time was no different. Taking to Instagram, the ‘Emergency’ director accused AR Rahman of being “prejudiced and hateful.”
According to Kangana, she had wanted Rahman to compose music for her directorial film ‘Emergency’. She claimed she was eager to narrate the film to him personally. But that meeting, she says, never happened.
Kangana alleged that Rahman refused even to meet her because he believed ‘Emergency’ was a “propaganda film.” This, she said, hurt her deeply, especially since she already faces bias in the industry for supporting a saffron political party.
‘Emergency’ vs Rahman’s refusal
Kangana also defended her film strongly. She claimed that ‘Emergency’ was praised by critics across the board and even appreciated by leaders from opposition parties.
According to her, many called the film balanced and compassionate in its storytelling. Kangana said Rahman’s refusal came not from facts, but from hate and assumptions.
She ended her statement by saying she felt sorry that such prejudice could blind someone as respected as Rahman.
What AR Rahman actually said
The controversy began after AR Rahman’s recent interview with the BBC Asian Network. In that conversation, the composer said that his work in Hindi cinema has slowed down in recent years.
Rahman linked this change to the evolving atmosphere in Bollywood over the last eight years. Many listeners interpreted his comments as suggestion that religion might now influence opportunities in the industry.
These remarks quickly sparked debate with opinions divided across social media and film
Shobhaa De calls the comment ‘dangerous’
Veteran author and columnist Shobhaa De entered this debate during a session at Jaipur Literature Festival 2026. Speaking about Rahman’s statement, she openly disagreed with him.
Calling the comment “very dangerous,” De said Bollywood has always been one of the few spaces where talent matters more than religion.
She added that in her 50 years of observing the industry, she has seen many artists succeed purely because of skill, not identity. According to her, if someone does not get work, it is usually due to lack of fit or talent, not faith.
As of now, AR Rahman has not responded to Kangana Ranaut or Shobhaa De’s comments.