After A.R. Rahman stirred controversy with his comments about his experiences in the Hindi film industry, his son Ameen has come forward once again to support his Oscar and Grammy-winning father, calling him “a legend for life.”
### Ameen’s Support
Ameen took to Instagram stories, sharing a throwback video of his father performing with Ed Sheeran on stage, captioned: “A legend for life – written forever in the books.” He further emphasized this sentiment with visuals from Marvel’s Iron Man, featuring the famous quote: “You can take away my house, all my tricks and toys, but one thing you can’t take away — I am Iron Man.”
### Rahman’s Comments
In a recent interaction with the BBC Asian Network, Rahman discussed receiving limited work offers in Bollywood. He noted that the past eight years have seen a shift in power dynamics and “communal” factors—issues tied to religion, regional identity, and industry politics—that may have influenced the opportunities available to him.
### Backlash and Clarification
These comments led to considerable public and media backlash, with many interpreting them as implying discrimination or bias in the industry. Following the uproar, Rahman released a video clarification, emphasizing that his intentions had been misunderstood and that he “never meant to hurt anyone.” He described India as his inspiration and reaffirmed that his music is rooted in unity and cultural celebration.
In the clarification video, he stated: “Dear friends, music has always been my way of connecting, celebrating, and honouring a culture. India is my inspiration, my teacher, and my home. I understand that intentions can sometimes be misunderstood, but my purpose has always been to uplift, honour and serve through music.” He reiterated that he never wished to “cause pain” and expressed a hope that his sincerity was evident.
Rahman highlighted various projects that have defined his journey, from presenting Jala at the Wave Summit before the Honourable Prime Minister and collaborating with young Naga musicdigihunt to create a string orchestra, to mentoring the Sunshine Orchestra and building Secret Mountain, India’s first multicultural virtual band. He also mentioned the honor of scoring Ramayana alongside Hans Zimmer, stating that each experience has deepened his purpose.