Manoj Muntashir confronts AR Rahman for calling Chhaava divisive: ‘Why compose its music?’

Manoj Muntashir confronted AR Rahman over his comments calling the film Chhaava divisive, questioning why he chose to work on the project. Manoj expressed confusion, stating that if he had a problem with the film, he should not have associated with it, as he had read the script beforehand. The disagreement follows a recent feud between Amaal Mallik and Tanishk Bagchi in the music industry.

In a conversation with Shubhankar Mishra, Manoj also addressed AR Rahman's claim of facing religious discrimination in the Hindi film industry, suggesting that there may be other reasons for the perceived lack of work opportunities, such as strained relationships or less successful songs. He emphasized the need for open dialogue and the respect he holds for AR Rahman's opinion, stating he would ask him why he felt this way.

AR Rahman had previously stated in a BBC interview in January 2026 that he didn't feel any discrimination in the Hindi film industry, attributing any perceived lack of work to a power shift and the presence of non-creative individuals in positions of power. He also called Chhaava a divisive film, but expressed his honor in scoring the movie and faith in humanity's ability to discern truth from manipulation.