Kailas Menon defends AR Rahman; says those criticising music maestro are ‘missing a basic point’

AR Rahman is facing flak for his recent comments alleging a lack of opportunities in Hindi cinema and citing 'communal factors' as reason for the same. His remarks sparked a wave of criticism and heated debate online, prompting several celebrities to share their opinions on the same. Now, popular composer Kailas Menon, best known for his work in ‘Theevandi’, ‘Edakkad Battalion 06’, ‘Ittymaani: Made in China’, and ‘Vaashi’, among others, has come out in Rahman's defence.

Kailas Menon reacts to debate over AR Rahman's comments

In a post shared on Instagram, Kailas Menon stated that people criticising AR Rahman ‘are missing a basic point’ - freedom of expression.




“He spoke about how he felt. That is his right. You may disagree with him, but you cannot deny him the freedom to express his experience. What followed, however, has gone far beyond disagreement and entered the space of abuse and character assassination,” the Malayalam composer said in his note.

Calling out the harsh comments against the Oscar-winning composer, he went on to add, “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 emphasised that while disagreement is normal, 'humiliating' a globally recognised talent, who has contributed so much to Indian cinema, and shaped it, isn’t. “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. Freedom of speech applies to Rahman as much as it applies to his critics. Criticism is fine, but outrage without respect says more about us than about him,” Kailas Menon said.

AR Rahman clears the air on his comments

Following the backlash, AR Rahman shared a video message on his Instagram. “Dear friends, music has always been my way of connecting, celebrating, and honouring a culture. India is my inspiration, my teacher, and my home,” he said.

“I understand that intentions can sometimes be misunderstood, but my purpose has always been to uplift, honour, and serve through music. I have never wished to cause pain, and I hope my sincerity is felt,” AR Rahman added.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”