Music composer AR Rahman is facing online criticism after collaborating with choreographer Jani Master, whose real name is Sheikh Jani Basha, who was arrested last year in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The backlash erupted after Jani shared photos with Rahman and director Buchi Babu Sana from the sets of Ram Charan’s upcoming film “Peddi”, for which he choreographed the song “Chikiri Chikiri.”
On 9 November 2025, Jani Master posted the photos on social media, expressing gratitude to Rahman for the collaboration.
The post quickly went viral, prompting several users to question Rahman for associating with an individual accused of sexual harassment.
Internet users pointed out that Rahman had previously refrained from working with Tamil lyricist Vairamuthu, who faced multiple sexual harassment allegations during the #MeToo movement in 2018. Critics accused the composer of inconsistency, questioning why he would collaborate with Jani Master despite the pending case.
Others, however, defended Rahman, calling out what they described as selective outrage in the film industry, citing instances of other actors and directors working with figures accused of misconduct without facing similar criticism.
Jani Master, a prominent choreographer in the Telugu film industry, was arrested in September 2024 after an assistant choreographer accused him of sexually harassing her when she was still a minor. The complaint, filed in Goa, alleged that he harassed her during photoshoots and rehearsals and threatened her with violence if she spoke out.
Following his arrest, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting suspended his National Award for Best Choreography for the song “Megham Karukkadha” from Dhanush’s “Thiruchitrambalam”. He was later released on bail and has since resumed work in the Telugu film industry.
(Source: India Today)
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