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A.R. Rahman Says Bollywood Work Has Declined Over Eight Years

He links the slowdown to a recent power shift placing music decisions with non‑creatives.

Overview

  • In a BBC Asian Network interview, the composer said offers reduced over the past eight years as labels and executives, not creators, increasingly decide music hires.
  • He suggested a possible communal undercurrent to the exclusion, describing it as indirect “Chinese whispers” where projects shift to multi‑composer lineups after initial talks.
  • Rahman said he does not chase assignments and is content to let projects find him, adding the lull gives him more time with his family.
  • Reflecting on his career, he recalled feeling like an outsider in Hindi cinema until Subhash Ghai’s Taal (1999) connected widely with North Indian audiences.
  • He remains active with selective projects, scoring Gandhi Talks set for a January 30 theatrical release and collaborating with Hans Zimmer on Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana slated for Diwali 2026.