- Rani Mukerji called Bollywood the most secular place with no caste or religion bias
- She said merit and audience connection determine success in Bollywood
- AR Rahman clarified he never intended to hurt sentiments with his communal remark
Days after A.R. Rahman stirred a storm over his "communal" remark on and off social media, Rani Mukerji shared her version of the story in a recent interview. Rani, whose Mardaani 3 released in theaters today, said Bollywood is the most "secular" place she has ever seen.
Reacting to Rahman's statement, Rani Mukerji told DD News, "Bollywood is the most secular place, and I truly believe that. There is no discrimination based on caste or religion. In my 30 years in the industry, I have never experienced anything like this. I love this industry—it made me who I am today. I am saying this from the bottom of my heart: here, merit matters."
"Your work speaks for you, and ultimately, the person the audience connects with is the one who survives and succeeds. For me, Bollywood remains the most secular and one of the most amazing places to be," she added.
Rahman's Clarification on Communal Remark
After incessant scrutiny over his remark, A.R. Rahman shared a video on Instagram on January 18, clarifying that he never intended to hurt anyone's sentiments.
"Dear friends, music has always been my way of connecting, celebrating, and honoring a culture. India is my inspiration, my teacher, and my home. I understand that intentions can sometimes be misunderstood, but my purpose has always been to uplift, honor, and serve through music. I have never wished to cause pain, and I hope my sincerity is felt," Rahman said.
The clarification comes after Rahman said that work from the Hindi film industry had slowed for him in recent years, attributing this change to "shifting power dynamics" over the last eight years and possibly to what he described as "a communal thing" in a recent interview with the BBC Asian Network.
Elaborating on that shift, the composer added: "People who are not creative have the power now to decide things, and this might have been a communal thing also, but not in my face. It comes to me as Chinese whispers that they booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers. I said, 'Oh, that's great, rest for me, I can chill out with my family.'"
In recent times, Rahman has composed music for Ponniyin Selvan: I and II, Pathu Thala, Maamannan, Ayalaan, Lal Salaam, Raayan, Kadhalikka Neramillai, and Thug Life in Tamil; Shikara, 99 Songs, Dil Bechara, Mimi, Atrangi Re, Heropanti 2, and Tere Ishk Mein in Bollywood; and Malayankunju in Malayalam.