Music maestro AR Rahman recently opened up about losing work in Bollywood in the last decade. The Oscar-winning composer attributed this to the shifting power dynamics within the industry. During an interview with the BBC Asian Network, AR Rahman spoke about how he has never chased projects. Talking about losing work, he said, “Maybe in the past eight years, because a power shift has happened, and people who are not creative have the power now. It might be a communal thing also… but it is not in my face. It comes to me as Chinese whispers.”
He continued, “They booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers. I say good, I have more time to chill with my family. I am not in search for work. I don’t want to go in search for work. I want work to come to me; my sincerity to earn work. Whatever I deserve, I get.”
The composer also opened up about the time when he used to feel like an outsider in the industry despite his success. However, with Taal, he became a household name.
Moreover, he spoke about how not speaking Hindi acted as a barrier when he started working in Bollywood. He said, “I never spoke Hindi. It’s very difficult for a Tamil person to speak Hindi because we have such an attachment.” Filmmaker Subhash Ghai suggested that he learn the language, and Rahman chose to learn Urdu, which he termed as the “mother of Hindi music.”
The composer was then asked about the prejudice against South Indian artistes in the Hindi film industry, to which he said, “Maybe it was concealed, but I didn’t feel any of this. People who are not creative have the power now.”
