Composer Shankar Mahadevan has weighed in on the debate sparked by AR Rahman’s recent comments about a slowdown in work from the Hindi film industry, saying that the fate of music today is often decided by people who are not musicians.
The controversy began after Rahman, in a recent interview, spoke about a shift he has observed over the past eight years, where key decisions are increasingly taken by people not driven by creativity. His remarks led to strong reactions across the film and music industries, with many discussing changes in Bollywood’s creative ecosystem.
Reacting to the comments, Mahadevan offered a nuanced view.
He said that the person who creates music and the people who decide what happens to it are often different. According to him, while musicians form a creative team, the destiny of a musical product usually lies with a non-musical team, and the music then finds its own course.
Rahman later addressed the wider discourse indirectly through a video message on Instagram.
He spoke about his deep bond with India and said music has always been his way of staying connected to its people and culture. He added that intentions can be misunderstood and stressed that his focus has always been on serving people through music, not engaging in controversies.
Meanwhile, Mahadevan continues to receive global recognition. After winning a Grammy in 2024 with his band Shakti, the group has earned two nominations at the 2026 Grammy Awards. Mahadevan has also launched Goongoonalo, an artist-owned platform aimed at promoting creative freedom and musical diversity.