The worlds of music and cinema are abuzz with Anup Jalota’s eyebrow-raising counsel to AR Rahman. As controversy swirls around the composer’s ‘communal’ remarks on his fading Bollywood presence, Jalota offers a radical fix that’s dividing opinions.
Rahman recently opened up about an eight-year slump in assignments. Blaming a ‘power shift’ to non-creatives, he implied communal angles might be at play—a comment that’s drawn sharp online flak and actor reactions alike.
Enter Anup Jalota, the bhakti singer extraordinaire. Speaking frankly, he recalled Rahman’s transformation: Hindu by birth, converting to Islam and rising to compose masterpieces for Roja, Bombay, and beyond. ‘If Muslim identity is the hurdle now, switch back to Hinduism,’ Jalota advised. ‘See if films start pouring in then.’
This isn’t mere rhetoric; it’s a pointed experiment proposed for India’s top musician. Jalota emphasized Rahman’s post-conversion triumphs, questioning why faith would suddenly sabotage success.
From Tamil Nadu temples to Hollywood stages, Rahman’s journey is legendary. But with fewer calls lately, whispers of industry Islamophobia gain traction. Jalota’s retort challenges that narrative head-on, urging a faith-flip to prove or disprove biases.
Reactions pour in: some hail Jalota’s pragmatism, others decry it as insensitive. Yet, it forces a reckoning on Bollywood’s underbelly—where talent battles prejudice. Will Rahman respond? As debates heat up, this episode reveals fault lines in fame’s foundation, reminding us that even icons navigate identity’s tightrope.