Veteran singer Anup Jalota has doubled down on his controversial January 2026 remarks advising music composer A.R. Rahman to convert back to Hinduism if he believed that his religion was preventing him from getting work in the film industry.
Speaking on ABP News’ podcast Inside Out with Megha Prasad in September, Jalota said he “completely” stood by his earlier statement and explained why he had made the remark.
When asked by host Megha Prasad whether he still stood by his statement, Jalota replied, “I stand by it completely. I said it after giving it some thought. What was there to think about?”
Jalota then explained that his comments came at a time when two of Rahman’s films were being released. He questioned whether a music director could continuously deliver hits throughout his career.
“No… no… Around that time, two of his films were being released—the time when this statement was made. Can a music director always deliver hits? Can a music director work forever? Others will come along, other styles will emerge, and people might prefer those styles…” he said.
However, Jalota stressed that Rahman himself had attributed his lack of work to religion, rather than musical styles or changing industry preferences.
“But it wasn’t about style; he was talking about religion. He mentioned that he wasn’t getting work—specifically because of his religion, right? So, I told him that if he wasn’t getting work because of his religion, he should become a Hindu again.”
When Prasad asked whether the comment was insensitive, Jalota defended it by pointing to Rahman’s religious background.
“Why? He was a Hindu to begin with; he had converted from Hinduism to Islam.”
Jalota Recalls Working With Muslim Filmmakers, Musicians
Prasad then challenged Jalota with his own professional experience, pointing out that he had worked with several prominent Muslim filmmakers, lyricists and composers, including Muzaffar Ali, Akbar Khan, K. Asif, Naushad Ali, Nida Fazli and Hasrat Jaipuri.
She asked Jalota how he would have felt if those collaborators had refused to work with him simply because he was a Hindu.
Jalota rejected the premise, saying they had always treated people equally.
“Why would they say that? They always treated everyone as equals. They always viewed each other as equals. At the same time, they believed that the work they received wasn’t because they were Hindu or Muslim, but because they did good work. That was the reason.”
Jalota then applied the same reasoning to Rahman’s career, arguing that the composer had received opportunities because of his talent but that no artist can remain successful indefinitely.
“A.R. Rahman got work because he did excellent work. But, of course, not everyone’s life is a continuous string of hits. After all, even Mohammed Rafi saab was sidelined for a while by Kishore Kumar ji.”
What Anup Jalota Said About Rahman In January
Jalota’s latest comments revisit a controversy that erupted in January after Rahman spoke about the decline in his work during an interview with BBC Asian Network.
Asked whether he had experienced prejudice in Bollywood as a Tamil composer, Rahman said, “Maybe I never got to know of this, maybe it was concealed by God, but I didn’t feel any of this. The past eight years, maybe, because a power shift has happened, and people who are not creative have the power now. It might be a communal thing also… but it is not in my face.”
The remarks triggered criticism, with several celebrities, including Kangana Ranaut, Javed Akhtar and Shaan, reacting to them. Rahman also attracted attention for his criticism of the film Chhaava, which he said was capitalising on “divisiveness”.
Jalota subsequently entered the debate, suggesting that Rahman should return to Hinduism if he genuinely believed that being Muslim was affecting his professional opportunities.
In a video statement at the time, Anup Jalota said, “Music director AR Rahman was a Hindu earlier. After that, he adopted Islam and did a lot of work, earned a lot of fame, and made a very good place in people’s hearts. But if he believes that he is not getting films to compose music for in our country because he is a Muslim, then he should become a Hindu again.”
He continued, “He should have the confidence that once he becomes a Hindu again, he will start getting films. That is what he meant. So, my advice is that he should become a Hindu and then see whether he starts getting films again.”
Rahman later issued an apology following the backlash, saying that his intention had always been to “uplift, honour and serve through music” and that he had never wished to cause pain.
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