AR Rahman Says Younger Generation Gaslit Him In Believing He Wasn`t Good Enough
Updated on: 19 January, 2026 12:07 PM IST |Shweta Shah
AR Rahman on why Oscars can be a burden
AR Rahman recently grabbed eyeballs for his controversial "communal" comment in his recent interview. It has been attracting mixed reactions from both fans and industry folks.
Seeing the backlash he`s been receiving for his remark, Rahman issued a statement addressing the same, saying it wasn`t his intention to hurt anyone`s sentiment.
At the same time, another comment of his claiming he had been "gaslighted" and that he had not been doing good enough in music has also been going viral. He also admitted that Oscars and other awards can be a burden.
Why was AR Rahm gaslighted?
In his recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the composer said his latest work was a way to reach out to the younger audience and bridge the gap between him and the new generation.
He also mentioned that he had composed music for over 30 films between 2019 and 2025. Notably, this contrasts his earlier statement about seeing a slower pace in work in the last eight years.
Also Read: Sonu Nigam Reveals Shocking Details About AR Rahman’s Professional Relationships
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He shared, "For the past six years, to be frank, when people come to you, the `90s generation has a certain nostalgia and affinity towards your music. The same goes for those born in the 2000s, and so on for those from the next decade. They come and gaslight you. They say, `In the `90s, you did Roja (1992). That`s very good music, sir!` That feels like now you`re not doing good music, right? It actually harms your thinking if you`re not in your best mood."
"So I thought, what if I go on a rampage and keep doing movies, song after song? So, every director who comes to me now says, `You`ve done such a great sequence in Mani (Ratnam) sir`s movie Thug Life. So, all the examples now are from the last six years. I`ve done 20-30 movies in the last six years. So, I`m safe now. I`ve got enough for the next generation. That was intentional," Rahman added.
Why does Rahman think Oscars are a burden?
During the same interview, Rahman, who has collaborated with Hans Zimmer for Nitish Tiwari`s Ramayan, also shared that he doesn`t want to be at ease and feel content. He wants to push boundaries for himself.
"I love that stuff, but within me, I need to get my self-esteem and confidence back and prove myself. What I`m doing next is going to be the best thing. Not rely on the past and be like, `Oh, I`ve won 33 Filmfare Awards and two Oscars.` That thought drains you. You`re not motivated to do anything. It can be a burden. It`s not in my Twitter or Instagram bio - no Oscar, no Grammy, nothing. It`s a fresh start, 2026," the musician added.
AR Rahman`s controversy began in an interview with BBC Asian Network, where he claimed that work from the Hindi industry had slowed down, linking it to "communal" changes in Bollywood over the years.
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