Inside Oscar winner AR Rahman's 'BBC' interview and fallout that followed

Allah Rakha Rahman, known as A.R. Rahman, one of the finest composers in the music industry has sparked heavy criticism from Hindu ring-wing voices following his recent comments regarding alleged communal bias in Bollywood.

The 59-year-old Kun Faya Kun composer shared his views on 'lost work' in the industry during an interview. 

'People who are not creative have the power now to decide things, and this might have been a communal thing also but not in my face,' Rahman told the BBC Asian Network online in the interview aired on Wednesday.

'It comes to me as Chinese whispers that they booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers. I said, ‘Oh, that’s great, rest for me. I can chill out with my family,’” he said in the 90-minute interview.

Right-wing commentators and activists questioned Rahman’s patriotism and talent, accusing him of playing the “victim card”.

Vinod Bansal from the far-right organisation Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) demanded an apology from Rahman for “defaming” the country.“

We are proud of him and whatever he has done for the country. But for someone who has earned his living from the Indian industry, the way he is trying to defame the country is highly objectionable,” he told Al Jazeera.

Amid the controversy, the composer stepped forward to clarify his stance following a stream of media trolling. 

 In a video posted to his Instagram account, Rahman said: 'I understand that intentions can sometimes be misunderstood, but my purpose has always been to uplift, honour and serve through music.'

He stressed that he remained grateful to the nation and noted that he had thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support of India’s entertainment industry. 

For those unversed, the legendary artist has won some of the world’s most coveted musical awards – including Oscars, Grammys and a Golden Globe. 

His song Jai Ho which won him an Oscar, became a celebrated anthem.

The Oscar winner’s  1997 song Maa Tujhe Salam on his album Vande Mataram was seen as unifying the diverse nation of 1.4 billion people.

A.R. Rahman's blockbusters span Bollywood and Tamil cinema, featuring iconic hits like Chaiyya Chaiyya, Jai Ho, Dil Se Re, Tu Hi Re, and many more.