Who Spreads Hate Against A.R. Rahman? Known Actors, Coordinated and Bot-Like

One interview. 48 hours of hate. How coordinated bot networks and familiar right-wing accounts turned AR Rahman from maestro to target—and what it reveals about India’s online hate machine.”

A.R. Rahman has sparked controversy after telling BBC Asia Network that political and social bias in the film industry has led to fewer film opportunities for him over the past eight years.The interview aired on January 14, 2026, and while many have condemned this, A.R. Rahman put an end to the controversy by explaining, “Music is a way I use to connect with, celebrate, and pay respect to culture. I now understand that sometimes intentions can be misunderstood. I had no intention of hurting anyone.”

Following his statements during the interview, AR Rahman was subjected to a storm of communal hatred on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), with major right-wing accounts amplifying the trend and several troll accounts targeting his official Instagram accounts with abuses and statements marking him a traitor, as seen in the anti-SRK hate campaign.

We noticed that hashtags #BoycottARRahman and #BoycottBollywoodRamayana were prominently used to propagate hate against AR Rahman. A deeper analysis revealed that specific social media accounts, often flagged for spreading misleading communal hatred online, significantly amplified the trend.

Who amplified the trend online, and what was their modus operandi?

On January 17, Kreately.in shared a video with the caption, “In the end they are all Jihadis Boycott Rahman for life.” The clipped video features AR Rahman during the NDTV program Walk The Talk With A R Rahman dated January 7, 2018, speaking about Sufism.

As of January 19, the post received 87,600 views, 10,000 likes, and 3,600 reposts. Supporting the notion of the post, a user remarked, “Converts are more toxic than originals,” while another user stated,”From Kamla Hassan to Shahrukh khan and now this AR Rahman have proved they are all radical jihadists who should be kicked to Pakistan.”

On the same day, Nupur J Sharma, Chief Editor, OpIndia, a right-wing media outlet, shared a communal post targeting AR Rahman’s statement on the movie Chhava. The caption reads, “AR Rehman says Chhava was “divisive” and essentially, that he is not getting too much work because he’s a Muslim (decrying Hindus, obviously).”

The post also states that the  Indian celebrities belonging to the Muslim community eventually turn their back on the very people who help them achieve stardom.

As of January 19, the post garnered 3,64,000 views, 13,000 likes, and 4,600 reposts.

Responding to the post, Pranav Mahajan, a police officer and an author (as per the profile bio) stated, “Never ever support a person who, instead of acknowledging his own shortcomings, shamelessly attributes his decline to the same innocent people who made him a star for so many years.” Another user remarked, “Sadly, Hindus will never realise this as they try to be secular.”

On January 18, Hindutva Knight shared a post accusing AR Rahman of allegedly plagiarising music tracks. The post alleged that the Indian musical composer and record producer copied music tracks from “lesser-known” regional musicians from South India and Western countries.

As of January 19, the post crossed more than 2,30,000 views, 7,500 likes, and 2,600 reposts.

A user tagged AR Rahman and responded, “Whhhhyyyyy! The heartbreak and disappointment won’t stop! Shame on you, @arrahman. Actually, shame on me. For being a fan of a thief and a fanatic.” Another user suggested that AR Rahman distorted the national song by using verses from it for Maa Tujhe Salaam.

Digging up old controversies:

On January 17 and 18, several users shared a 23-second clip from Aadhan Tamil, a YouTube-based digital content channel. The video is taken from a 2020 interview with the late Tamil poet and lyricist Piraisoodan, in which he recounts an experience he had at A.R. Rahman’s house.In the interview, originally aired on July 28, 2020, Pirasoodan shares a bitter experience of being asked to remove the sacred ash from his forehead by AR Rahman’s mother during a work-related visit.

A video is widely shared on social media in connection with AR Rahman’s recent remark at the BBC interview, suggesting that he and his family harboured an anti-Hindu mindset.

Bot-like behaviour

Between January 18 and January 19, we observed several X accounts—namely @RealShrinivas, @sharemyview1, and @leenasez—actively amplifying the trend. Indicating a coordinated behaviour, these accounts engaged with or referenced posts targeting AR Rahman, using identical hashtags and copied text.

Celebrity responses to AR Rahman’s comments

Kangana Ranaut shared a story on January 17, accusing AR Rahman of being prejudiced and hateful. The actor alleged that AR Rahman refused to meet with her  regarding her directorial movie Emergency. According to her, he stated his hesitancy to work on a “propaganda” film as a reason.

While quoting a DNA IndiaX post on AR Rahman, Print and broadcast journalist. Swati Chaturvedi stated that she is extremely hurt by his recent comments. Additionally, Swati, the author of ‘I am a Troll’  recalled her experience with the music composer during a TV interview. She suggested that during the interview, AR Rahman turned down her multiple requests to sing “Ma Tuje Salaam.” Swati Chaturvedi’s I Am a Troll investigates the machinery behind the right-wing political trolling ecosystem and the systematic use of online harassment as a political tool.

Responding to the post, she remarked, “As a journalist, one sees a lot of personal heroes crumble. I was rather upset post the IV.” Supporting AR Rahman, a user reacted, “He is not a primary school student obliged to entertain every guest singing the same rhymes. Hope journalists up their game and come with meaningful discussions.”

Responding to AR Rahman’s BBC interview, Indian screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar shared with Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) stated that small producers might have felt intimidated or hesitant about approaching a great personality like AR Rahman.

Actor and former Member of the Lok Sabha, Paresh Rawal, extended support to AR Rahman through his official X handle. He quote-posted AR Rahman’s clarification video for his comments during the BBC interview stating, “We love you sir. You are our pride. 🙏❤️.”

AR Rahman’s Instagram posts targeted

We discovered that social media posts on AR Rahman’s official Instagram account were also targeted.

Several accounts targeted the composer with communal comments, calling him a traitor and asking him to earn from the mosques. While many others showered abuse on both AR Rahman and his mother, and asked him to move to Pakistan.

Following the backlash, AR Rahman shared a clarification through his official Instagram account with a caption, “Music, culture, gratitude. Always in service of the art and the land that shaped me. 🇮🇳.”

He clarified that his intentions were misinterpreted and he never intended to inflict any grief, and that his goal with music is to raise, honour, and serve. He also added that he is blessed to be an Indian, which enables him to create a space that allows freedom of expression and celebrates multiculturalism.

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