Taslima Nasreen says, “it does not suit him to be pitied”, as she calls out AR Rahman over ‘communal’ remark

Highlights

• Taslima Nasreen criticizes AR Rahman’s remarks on possible communal bias
  
• Points to Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and others as examples
  
• Says the rich and famous rarely face real discrimination
  
• Shares her own experiences of exile and exclusion
  

Noted Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen has taken aim at AR Rahman after the composer suggested he may have lost work in Bollywood due to communal bias. Writing on X, Nasreen said Rahman’s stature and success make such claims hard to accept, adding that fame and money protect people from the hardships faced by ordinary individuals.

Her remarks come after Rahman, in a BBC Asian Network interview, said changes in power and influence in recent years might have affected creative spaces, and that communal factors “might” be involved, though not directly faced by him.

Taslima’s sharp response

Nasreen said Rahman’s position in Indian music makes him one of the most powerful figures in the industry.

She wrote that he is extraordinarily famous, highly paid, and likely the richest musician in the country. Questioning his claim, she pointed to Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Javed Akhtar, and Shabana Azmi, saying all remain major figures despite their religious identities.

According to her, the rich and famous do not face real difficulty anywhere, regardless of religion, caste, or community. “Difficulties happen to poor people like me,” she wrote.

Her life in exile

Nasreen used the moment to describe her own struggles. Living in self-imposed exile in India, she said she is often mistaken for being Muslim because of her name, even though she is an atheist.

She claimed landlords refuse to rent her homes, hospitals have mistreated her, and she has faced violence and expulsion in different parts of the country. According to her, people hostile to Muslims do not care whether someone is actually religious or not.

She said these realities are far removed from the life of a globally celebrated composer like Rahman.

Identity, belonging, and isolation

Nasreen wrote that although she is not an Indian citizen, she lives in India because she loves the country and its culture. She said she has paid a heavy price for criticizing religion, living in exile after attacking what she called the foundations of Islam.

Despite being an atheist, she said people still assume her beliefs based on her name and background, showing how little is understood about atheism and humanism.

“It does not suit him to be pitied”

Closing her post, Nasreen said the people of the land are her own people and its culture is her culture too. She said Rahman is admired by Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, atheists, and believers alike.

“It does not suit him to be pitied,” she wrote, arguing that someone so widely loved and respected cannot be compared to those who live on the margins.

Rahman’s remarks and apology

Rahman’s comments were made during a BBC Asian Network interview, where he said he had not personally felt prejudice but suggested that changes in power over the past eight years might have affected creativity and that communal factors could be involved, though not openly directed at him. He also criticized the film Chhaava for benefiting from divisiveness.

The remarks sparked backlash. Rahman later issued a statement saying he was sorry for any pain caused. He said music has always been his way of honoring culture and unity, and that India remains his inspiration and home.

On the work front, Rahman is currently composing music for Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, collaborating with Grammy-winning composer Hans Zimmer. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on Diwali 2026.

For continued coverage of the controversy and AR Rahman’s response, read our recently updated related report.

AR Rahman posts a 95-second video after comments from a BBC interview go viral