Stop Humiliating Him’: Kailas Menon and Sithara Krishnakumar defend AR Rahman after online backlash over ‘Chhaava’ comment

etimes.in | Jan 20, 2026, 03.39 PM IST

Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman has found strong backing from the Malayalam music fraternity after facing intense online criticism over his comments on alleged communal subtext in Hindi films such as ‘Chhaava’. The backlash quickly escalated into personal attacks, drawing sharp reactions from fellow musicians.
Composer Kailas Menon openly condemned the trolling, objecting to Rahman being labelled a “disgrace” for voicing his personal views. In a widely shared Instagram post, Kailas wrote, “People blaming A. R. Rahman for speaking his mind are missing a basic point. He spoke about how he felt. That is his right.”

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Kailas further stressed that opposing an opinion does not justify personal abuse. “Calling a globally respected artist a ‘disgrace’, questioning his faith, mocking his recent works, and reducing his lived experience to a ‘victim card’ is not criticism. It’s hate speech presented as opinion,” he stated, adding that Rahman’s artistic legacy cannot be dismissed over a single viewpoint.

Sithara Krishnakumar weighs in

Playback singer Sithara Krishnakumar also supported Rahman, highlighting the growing intolerance toward personal expression. “We have become a society where expressing a personal view invites dismissal, shaming, and ruthless judgment,” she wrote, adding that silencing voices has never been a solution. “Listening has,” she emphasised.

Family support and a larger debate

Rahman’s daughter Khatija Rahman reshared Kailas Menon’s post, subtly signalling solidarity. Kailas concluded by reminding critics that Rahman is “not a random voice” but an artist who carried Indian music to a global stage. “You may debate his opinion on a film. You may disagree with his interpretation. That’s fair. What is not fair is public humiliation or attacking his integrity to silence what he said.”

AR Rahman's daughters react to his 'communal' remark controversy as Malayalam composer comes out in his support: 'You can disagree with him but can't deny him...'

Music maestro AR Rahman faced backlash for his remarks on Bollywood's 'communal' undercurrent and 'Chhaava' film. His daughters, Khatija and Raheema, publicly supported him by endorsing composer Kailas Menon's plea to "disagree, don’t disgrace." Menon defended Rahman's right to express personal feelings, condemning the abuse and character assassination he received.

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Director Imtiaz Ali, who has collaborated extensively with Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman on films such as Rockstar, Tamasha, Highway, and most recently Amar Singh Chamkila, has come out in support of the musician amid the ongoing controversy surrounding his recent remarks.

AR Rahman's comments about Bollywood that went viral

For the unversed, earlier, AR Rahman spoke to BBC Asian Network about getting less work in Bollywood. He said, “People who are not creative have the power now to decide things.” He added, “This might have been a communal thing also, but not in my face.” AR Rahman said he heard things through others. He said, “They booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers.” He ended it lightly by saying, “That’s great, rest for me, I can chill out with my family.”