Shilpa Rao on AR Rahman’s communal comment, says she has lost projects: ‘Don’t be gullible’ | Bollywood News

4 min readMumbaiMay 2, 2026 11:42 AM Over the past few months, the Hindi film music industry has witnessed a series of developments that have sparked both concern and debate among fans and insiders alike. On one hand, audiences were taken aback reports that Arijit Singh had announced his retirement from playback singing. Around the same time, comments AR Rahman drew nationwide attention, as he spoke about receiving fewer opportunities in Hindi cinema over the past eight years. He suggested that the reasons could be “communal” and pointed to a broader power shift in the industry, where.
‘Abstain from being gullible’
Amid these developments, National Award-winning playback singer Shilpa Rao shared her perspective at the 13th edition of Expresso SCREEN. In a conversation moderated Suvir Saran and Suanshu Khurana, Shilpa reflected on navigating narratives within the industry. “You have to abstain as much as possible from being gullible and lening to a narrative and believe it and also do it. So if you abstain from that as much as possible then that’s a good thing,” she said.
She went on to speak about the importance of artic integrity, even at the cost of missed opportunities. “You might lose a project or two, and you might let go of a song or two. Yes, it happens all the time. So you might lose it for that moment, but in the bigger picture, you have to project yourself as yourself. For example, if I have to choose between doing say a run-of-the-mill song and play it safe or choose an in-your-face kind of song where I’m being crazy, I’ll choose the second option because even if I fail at least I did what is me instead of doing something which is boring.”
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Shilpa Rao at Expresso SCREEN
What did AR Rahman said?
Earlier this year, in January, Rahman addressed questions about possible prejudice within the Hindi film industry during an interview with BBC. When asked whether, as a Tamilian, he had faced discrimination, he responded: “Maybe I never get to know of this, maybe it was concealed but I didn’t feel any of this. Maybe in the past eight years 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. It comes to me as Chinese whispers that they booked you but the music company went ahead and hired their 5 composers. I say good, I have more time to chill with my family. I am not in search for work. I don’t want to go in search for work. I want work to come to me; my sincerity to earn work. Whatever I deserve, I get.”
The remarks quickly drew widespread attention and criticism online, prompting Rahman to issue a video statement clarifying his position. “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. I have never wished to cause pain and I hope my sincerity is felt. I feel blessed to be Indian, which enables to create a space which always allows freedom of expression and celebrates multicultural voices,” he said.
About Expresso
The 13th edition of Expresso SCREEN featuring Shilpa Rao will be streamed live on the Indian Express YouTube channel on May 3rd at 8 pm. The event is presented AU Small Finance Bank, in association with Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai.Story continues below this ad
Expresso has, over time, established itself as a platform for conversations with prominent voices in Indian entertainment. Previous editions have featured names such as Huma Qureshi and Shefali Shah, Anupam Kher, Richa Chadha and Kabir Khan, Randeep Hooda and Hansal Mehta, Pankaj Tripathi, Kajol and Kriti Sanon, Javed Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar, Imtiaz Ali and Taapsee Pannu, as well as Vidya Balan and Pratik Gandhi.