Premium4 times AR Rahman left India speechless with his savage comebacks
Oscar-composer AR Rahman has become more vocal about his political views and has been making headlines for his public statements.
Last Updated: 06.21 PM, May 02, 2023
Ponniyin Selvan 2 composer AR Rahman has been known for his soft-spoken nature and avoiding confrontational situations throughout his illustrious career spanning over three decades in the Indian film industry.
However, in recent times, the Oscar-winning composer has become more vocal about his political views and has been making headlines for his public statements.
The Pune police stopped Rahman's concert on May 1 , citing a rule that didn't permit the event to go beyond the 10 PM deadline. This incident quickly gained a political angle, but Rahman maintained his trademark dignified and calm demeanour while handling the situation.
Responding to the incident, Rahman tweeted, "Did we all just have the 'Rockstar' moment on stage yesterday? I think we did! We were overwhelmed by the love of the audience and kept wanting to give more.. Pune, thank you once again for such a memorable evening."
It won't be wrong to say that Rahman has become more political than before. Here are the four times when Rahman got political and gave a savage reply that made ripples across the country.
Love has no language
Recently, musician AR Rahman made headlines for his witty response to Tamil actor Kasthuri's tweet . In the tweet, Kasthuri expressed surprise at learning that Rahman's wife, Saira Banu, is not fluent in Tamil and wondered in which language the couple communicates at home. Some interpreted this as a veiled criticism of Rahman's stance on Hindi imposition. However, Rahman responded with just two words that caused a frenzy on social media. He tweeted "Kadhalukku Mariyadhai," which translates to "respect for love." This response garnered a lot of appreciation and praise for Rahman's clever and graceful way of handling the situation.
When Rahman teased his wife
Recently, at an award event, Rahman everyone by inviting his wife Saira Banu to share the stage with him. Rahman praised her as his support system and used the opportunity to honour her. However, things took an unexpected turn when he handed her the microphone and asked her to speak in Tamil, not in Hindi , knowing well that she wasn't fluent in the language. The audience erupted in laughter, but it also highlighted Rahman's firm stand on language imposition and his unwavering commitment to Tamil. While Saira Banu was embarrassed, she apologized to the audience for not being able to speak Tamil fluently and proceeded to speak in English. Despite the incident, Rahman's love and admiration for his wife was evident, and it was a heartwarming moment for all who witnessed it.
Rahman's love for Tamil
Rahman has always been vocal about his love for the Tamil language, a fact that has earned him a lot of admiration from his fans. This was particularly evident during the 2008 Oscars, when he ended his acceptance speech for two awards for Slumdog Millionaire with the Tamil phrase, 'ella pugalum iraivanukke' which means 'all glory to god.' Last year, Rahman once again reiterated his commitment to his mother tongue amid a debate about making Hindi the official language of India. When asked about his reaction to the matter at the airport, he told media persons, "Tamil is the connecting language." Later, he took to Twitter and shared an illustration of the goodness of Tamil and wrote, "Beloved Tamil is the root of our existence."
Love thy language
At a promotional event for the movie 99 Songs, which was his debut as a story writer and producer, Rahman once again made a bold statement in support of his love for the Tamil language. Accompanied by the film's lead actor, Ehan Bhat, Rahman was on stage when the host unexpectedly began speaking in Hindi. Rahman was quick to react by expressing mock disbelief, before promptly climbing down from the stage. This moment quickly became the talk of the town, inspiring endless memes and demonstrating Rahman's unwavering commitment to Tamil and his stance against Hindi imposition. It's clear that Rahman is not afraid to speak up for what he believes in.