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Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has weighed in on the intensifying debate over communalism in the film industry. Mehbooba sharply rebuked veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar for dismissing composer AR Rahman’s recent concerns.
In a post on X, Mufti argued that Akhtar’s attempt to downplay Rahman’s experience contradicts the "lived and shared realities" of Indian Muslims. She pointedly cited Akhtar’s own wife, Shabana Azmi, who has previously spoken about being denied housing in Mumbai due to her faith, as evidence that communal bias is a tangible issue that cannot be brushed aside.
“ Bollywood has always been a living mini India mirroring the country’s social realities. Brushing aside such experiences does not change the truth about today’s India (sic),” Mehbooba posted on X.
The controversy was ignited when an Oscar-winning maestro, AR Rahman, spoke during a recent interview with the BBC Asian Network. Rahman suggested that a "communal thing" might be a factor behind the decreasing number of projects coming his way from the Hindi film industry. He described a shift in power where "people who are not creative" now make the decisions, leading to a culture of "Chinese whispers."
"They booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers," Rahman explained, describing how he is often bypassed behind the scenes. While the composer noted he isn't actively searching for work and is happy to "chill out" with his family, he suggested that the industry's changing landscape has introduced a subtle, indirect bias that wasn't as prevalent before.
Responding to these heavy remarks, Javed Akhtar had previously dismissed Rahman’s apprehensions as a misunderstanding of his own stardom. Speaking to India Today, Akhtar claimed that filmmakers might be staying away from Rahman not because of his religion, but because they are intimidated by his legendary status.
"They are scared to reach him because he is so big. They are scared to talk to him and handle him," Akhtar said. He argued that it is a "wrong assumption" to view it as discrimination, suggesting instead that the industry feels "humare bas ka nahi hai, yeh toh bohot bada aadmi hai" (we won't be able to handle him; he is such a big shot).
