Academy Award and Grammy Award winning music composer A R Rahman in a recent interview with RJ Suren of Radio Mirchi spoke of why he was doing less films in Bollywood.

He said “I don’t say no to good movies, but I think there is a gang, which, due to misunderstandings, is spreading some false rumours,” he said.

He recently worked with Mukesh Chabara, director of the Bollywood film Dil Bechara. AR Rahman had given the director 4 songs in 2 days.

Apparently director Mukesh Chabra was warned by many people about working with Rahman. The director had been primed by so many people in the industry and was ‘told stories after stories’, Rahman said in the interview. He said “When Mukesh Chhabra came to me, I gave him four songs in two days. He told me, ‘Sir, how many people said don’t go, don’t go to him [Rahman] and they told me stories after stories.’ I heard that, and I realised, yeah okay, now I understand why I am doing less and why the good movies are not coming to me. I am doing dark movies, because there is a whole gang working against me, without them knowing that they are doing harm.”

Rahman, spiritual person that he is said that he believes in destiny and that everything comes from God. “I am taking my movies and doing my other stuff. But all of you are welcome to come to me. Make beautiful movies, and you are welcome to come to me,” he said while talking about how people expect him to work in Bollywood but he has to face a “gang”.

A few years back, he was seen in an awkward position with Salman Khan, a Bollywood actor who referred to him as an “average composer.” In a viral video, Rahman was seen giving a nod as response to Khan’s remark. When Rahman was asked if he would like to work with Salman Khan’s movies, he responded “Let him first do movies which I like”. Later, Rahman revealed that this interaction was a joke. 

The debate of shadowing talent in the entertainment industry hit the roof after the death of Dil Bechara’s actor Sushant Singh Rajput died by suicide and many blame the nepotistic culture prevalent in the industry. 

While many celebrities expressed grief on social media platforms, Rahman tweeted “Rest in peace in a better place,” which fans think is an indirect slam to Bollywood.