Dileep Kumar Rajagopal aka Allah Rakha Rahman aka AR Rahman got global fame and glory because he was accepted by Indians across all regions, religions, castes and creeds as a great musician. Rahman indeed is a great and celebrated musician with Academy, Golden Globe and Grammy awards to his credit. He was also awarded the third highest civilian honour, Padam Bhushan, by the Government of India in 2011.
Like any artist, Rahman has seen ups and downs in his musical career. Of late, he was not seen much in movies. When asked the reason during a recent interview, he suggested it might be because of the Hindi film industry having become more “communal” during the last eight years. Though not necessarily, Rahman seem to play the same theme of imaginary victimhood and persecution that has been played in India since 2014.
Rahman did later come out with a long clarification expressing pride about being an Indian and attributing all his success, fame and glory to India. However, his remarks about the Hindi film industry having turned “communal” during the last eight years have caused a sense of hurt among millions of his admirers and music lovers.
Rahman was rightly contradicted and corrected by famous poet, lyricist and screenplay writer Javed Akhtar, himself a born Muslim but practicing atheist, who categorically told him that Hindi film industry was not at all communal.
Had the industry been communal, as Rahman has started feeling of late, he could never have risen to such eminence, fame and glory he possesses today. Even after being away from the Hindi film industry he continues to be a cherished name for his great music like “Jai Ho”.
Rahman is one of the very few musicians who came from the South Indian/ Tamil film industry and made it big in the Hindi cinema. Nobody asked about his name or religion. He was always awarded films, some of which turned into great success. Having remained practically out of work for the last eight years, Rahman found a convenient excuse suggesting that the Hindi film industry has turned more “communal”.
Also read: Kangana Ranaut calls AR Rahman ‘hateful’
Rahman is not the only Muslim artist who has ruled the Bollywood. Shah Rukh Khan still continues to be the number one star in Bollywood. Salman Khan remains as popular as ever. So does Aamir Khan. There have been so many famous Muslim actors in the past as well like Dilip Kumar and the other Khans like Feroze Khan, Sanjay Khan, Amjad Khan, Kader Khan and many more. They are admired and adored like demigods. Shah Rukh has tens of thousands of his fans visiting his residence Mannat on his birthday.
When an Indian film fan goes to watch a movie, the religion of the actor is the last thing on his mind. In fact, it is not any consideration.
It is not just the members of the native Muslim community, Bollywood has even embraced actors, singers and musicians from Pakistan, which otherwise has always been hostile towards India. That the same Bollywood will discriminate against Rahman just because of his name, sounds outright absurd and illogical.
But Rahman is not an exception. There is a particular section of people cutting across different religions and communities that has been trying to give communal colour to everything happening in the country post-2014. Earlier, there was a narrative around “intolerance” and minority persecution. Rahman’s grievance fits into the same narrative.
Rahman should be the last person on earth to have such a grievance. He was born into a Hindu family in Madras in Tamil Nadu. His parents were practicing Hindus. When he converted to Islam, his father had died long ago. His mother also converted to Islam along with him. He changed his name from Dileep Kumar to AR Rahman. Interestingly, the eminent superstar of yesteryears Yousuf Khan had changed his name to “Dilip Kumar” around the time of the country’s partition. He had migrated from the North West Frontier Province, which went to Pakistan at the time of partition. There was no bitterness among Indians, which was proved by the fact that Khan aka Kumar became the most popular film star in India and is still fondly remembered and respected. So is Mohammad Rafi.
Great artists like Rahman would do much good to themselves and the country by being guarded in what they say. Stereotyping an entire industry, just because you could not get any work, is absolutely unfair on his part. Rahman himself says that he does not hunt for work. In the competitive world of Bollywood, religion is indeed the last thing in the minds of people.
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