Singer Mithun came out in support of AR Rahman amid the controversy over his alleged ‘communal’ remarks. Mithun said that Rahman’s contribution to Indian music is unprecedented and after a career spanning more than three decades, he has every right to express his opinion.
Mithoon supports AR Rahman: Mithun has supported the Oscar-winning music director amid the backlash over AR Rahman’s recent comments about power dynamics in the music industry. However, after the criticism, AR Rahman clarified through a video message on social media, in which he said that his words were misinterpreted and he never intended to hurt sentiments.
The debate on this issue has not stopped, now singer and musician Mithun has defended Rahman’s rights to express his views. He has described Rahman’s immense contribution to Indian music as unprecedented.
In a conversation with Mid-Day, Mithun talked about his admiration for Rahman and his impact on the industry. He said, “I have grown up watching Rahman sir. He was someone who bypassed every textbook rule, yet made a powerful impact in our industry.”
Mithun further said that after spending more than three decades in the industry, Rahman has earned the right to express his opinions, and this proves the country’s continued love for his work.
When asked about the alleged power shift in the industry, Mithun said that he has not personally experienced such situations, but admitted that similar situations happen in all professions. He said, “This happens in every field. After all, our job is to connect the audience with our art.”
What did Rahman say?
In an interview with BBC Asian Network, he said, “People who are not creative now have the power to decide things, and it may be a communal thing, but not in front of me.” He further said that such decisions often reach indirectly to what he described as “Chinese whispers”. There was a lot of controversy over the way AR Rahman talked about getting work in the industry according to religion. Dozens of people reacted to this.