Paresh Rawal backs AR Rahman, calls him 'our pride' amid 'Vande Mataram' controversy

Paresh Rawal supports AR Rahman

• Paresh Rawal calls AR Rahman the "pride" of India after Rahman's video message
• AR Rahman says music connects him to India's culture and aims to uplift others
• Rahman addresses controversy, stressing his aim to honor and serve via music.

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Veteran Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal has recently backed singer and music composer AR Rahman, after the musician talked about his connection to India, music, and culture.

Paresh Rawal took to his X (formerly Twitter) and reacted to the video of AR Rahman referring to the musician as a "pride" of the country.

"We love you, sir. You are our pride," wrote Paresh Rawal.

We love you sir . You are our pride. 🙏❤️ https://t.co/5a4bfXTYiD

— Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) January 18, 2026

The music mogul AR Rahman posted his first post following the controversy over his comments on Bollywood earlier today, sparking responses from the Indian film industry.

AR Rahman posted a video message on his Instagram account on Sunday. He talked about his connection to India, music, and culture in the video rather than immediately addressing the topic.

The Oscar-winning composer revealed in his video message that music has always served as a means of maintaining relationships with people and customs.

He continued by saying that although "intentions" are occasionally "misunderstood," his goal has always been to use music to assist others.

AR Rahman said in the video, “Dear friends, music has always been my way of connecting, celebrating, and honouring a culture. 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.”

Also Read: Chinmayi Sripada defends AR Rahman amid ‘Vande Mataram’ row, says "He sings Maa Tujhe Salaam at almost every concert”

"I have never wished to cause pain, and I hope my sincerity is felt. I feel blessed to be Indian, which enables me to create a space that always allows freedom of expression and celebrates multicultural voices," he added.

He continued in the video, “From nurturing Jala, presented at the Wave Summit in front of the Honourable Prime Minister and Ruhi Noor, to collaborating with young Naga musicians to create a string orchestra, to mentoring the Sunshine Orchestra, and building Secret Mountain, India's first multicultural virtual band, to the honour of scoring Ramayana alongside Hans Zimmer, each journey has strengthened my purpose.”

Also Read: AR Rahman clarifies remarks on Bollywood, says his comments were misunderstood

“I remain grateful for this and committed to music that honours the past, celebrates the present, and inspires the future. Jai Hind and Jai Bharat," he further said.

The controversy started when Rahman claimed that his work in the Hindi film industry had slowed down recently in an interview with BBC Asian Network. He attributed this to changes in the industry during the previous eight years. Both movie stars and fans responded to that interview.