Fact Check: ‘AR Rahman wins awards due to Islamic ideologies’? No, here’s what N Balakrishna actually said
As music composer AR Rahman's remarks on ‘communal’ prejudice stir controversy, Telugu actor and politician N Balakrishna’s 2021 comments resurface on social media
By - K Sherly Sharon
Claim:Telugu actor and politician Nandamuri Balakrishna credited music composer AR Rahman’s awards to his Islamic faith.
Fact:The claim is Misleading. Balakrishna did say that he did not know who AR Rahman was; however, he did not attribute the music composer’s awards to his Islamic faith.
Hyderabad: Posts claiming that Telugu film star and Andhra Pradesh Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Nandamuri Balakrishna slammed music composer A R Rahman are going viral on social media. These posts allege that Balakrishna said AR Rahman wins awards only because of his Islamic ideology.
They began circulating after AR Rahman’s comments on ‘communal’ prejudice in a BBC Asian Network interview sparked controversy. In the interview, released on January 14, AR Rahman responded to a question about prejudice faced in Bollywood as a Tamil composer. His reply hinted that “communal” undercurrents and shifts in power have altered the creative fabric of Bollywood.
One such Facebook post contains images of both Balakrishna and AR Rahman, with the text: “I don't care who AR Rahman is, he's just a copycat. He only gives one hit film in 10 years, and even that wins awards because of his Islamic ideology. – Nandamuri Balakrishna, Telugu Superstar.” (Translated from Hindi)
The description along with the post reads, “Telugu superstar Nandamuri Balakrishna slammed AR Rahman. He said: ‘I don't care who AR Rahman is, he's just a copycat. He only gives one hit film in 10 years, and even that wins awards because of his Islamic ideology.’ Recently, during an interview, AR Rahman alleged that he hasn't been getting work in India since the change of government. However, when his victim card was exposed, he said that he didn't intend to hurt anyone's feelings.” (Translated from Hindi) (Archive)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading. Balakrishna did not say that AR Rahman won awards because of his Islamic ideology.
Using keyword searches, we found a report published by The New Indian Express on July 21, 2021. The report stated that Balakrishna made remarks about the Oscar-winning music composer, claiming that he did not know who AR Rahman was. It also noted that Balakrishna’s comments were widely criticised and trolled by netizens.
The report quoted Balakrishna as saying, “I do not know who AR Rahman is. He won an Oscar and I do not even know who he is. He gives a hit once in a decade.”
We also found the video of the interview in which Balakrishna made these comments. It was uploaded to YouTube by TV9 Entertainment on July 20, 2021, with the title, “I don’t know who AR Rahman is – Balakrishna – TV9.”
In the interview, Balakrishna was discussing music composer Ilaiyaraaja and remarked that the music composed for his 1991 Telugu film Aditya 369 did not resemble Ilaiyaraaja’s signature style.
He is heard saying, “In many films, a music director will have one style. Like Rahman—who is this Rahman? I don’t know. I don’t care. He gives one hit in ten years, and there is some Oscar award.”
He also criticised the Bharat Ratna award, saying, “I feel that the Bharat Ratna is equal to my father’s toenail.” He then went on to discuss the signature styles of other music composers such as Mani Sharma, Devi Sri Prasad, and Thaman.
While Balakrishna did say that he did not know who AR Rahman was, he did not attribute the music composer’s awards to his religion. The incident dates back to 2021 and has no connection to AR Rahman’s recent remarks. We also found no credible media reports of Balakrishna making communal remarks about AR Rahman.
Therefore, NewsMeter concludes that the viral claim is Misleading.
