Music composer AR Rahman found himself at the centre of an online debate after a journalist claimed to be hurt when the Oscar-winning musician allegedly declined to sing Vande Mataram or Maa Tujhe Salaam during an interview. As the discussion snowballed on social media, singer Chinmayi Sripada stepped in to counter the narrative and defend Rahman.
Chinmayi Sripada Calls Out Online Assumptions
Chinmayi took to X to set the record straight, pointing to her own experience of performing with Rahman. She wrote, "AR Rahman and all us sang Vande Mataram to a crowd that chanted with us on November 23, 2025, in Pune at the R K Laxman memorial award concert. He sings Maa Tujhe Salaam at almost every concert @bainjal - everyone who has attended the concerts knows this. Maybe he felt his voice was not at its best or just didn't feel like singing that day when you interviewed him. And that's OK. The responses under this tweet 'OH THAT EXPLAINS IT' shows exactly what's gone wrong in the recent past."
Her post highlighted how selective moments are often taken out of context and amplified online.
AR Rahman Addresses Criticism
The controversy gained further traction after Rahman, in an interview with BBC Network, spoke about a slowdown in Hindi film industry work, attributing it to shifting power dynamics over the past eight years and possibly "a communal thing". The remarks invited criticism from sections of social media.
In response, Rahman addressed the issue through a video, clarifying that India has always been at the heart of his life and creative journey. Stressing that music remains his primary means of expression and connection, he underlined that he never intended to hurt anyone's sentiments.
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