Praising AR Rahman, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur said that the Oscar-winning composer is a “genius” with a remarkable level of humility.
Opening up about working with Rahman on his Broadway musical Bombay Dreams, Shekhar said during a podcast, “AR Rahman had a name in the industry by the time I met him. The only mentoring that I gave him was that I told him about technology and I took him out of India.”
The filmmaker continued, “I produced the Bollywood-themed musical Bombay Dreams. I worked with composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. Andrew was very upset when I was bringing Rahman because he has done many musicals in the West like Phantom Of The Opera and more. I convinced him to bring Rahman. Rahman was scared too. He wasn’t sure if they would accept him but I told him that if they accepted me, they would accept you too. I knew that Rahman was a genius and had a lot of humility.”
The filmmaker also said that Rahman’s faith plays an important role in his ability to create soulful music.
“When I was working with him, he made me sit and went upstairs,” Kapur said. “Then he came back and he started playing the tune. I think he reads namaz when he asks to excuse himself. In that prayer, he listens to everything and gives everything to the faith. He gets the tune through his faith. He gets one hint and he makes the whole tune. I saw this humility in him, he has no arrogance.”
On the work front, Shekhar Kapur is presently busy with his next directorial venture, Masoom: The Next Generation. The film is a sequel to his 1983 classic Masoom. Veteran actress Shabana Azmi is onboard to play an important character in the film.
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Big B defends his choice to praise Abhishek openly and others privately
Amitabh Bachchan reveals why he praises Abhishek publicly but not Jaya or Aishwarya
Quick highlights:
Amitabh Bachchan has responded to online comments asking why he often praises son Abhishek Bachchan on social media but not wife Jaya Bachchan, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai, or daughter Shweta. The actor explained that while he chooses to support Abhishek publicly, he honours the women in his family privately, saying he prefers to respect them “in his heart.”
Bachchan defends Abhishek praise, addresses fan remarks online
The 81-year-old actor, who regularly shares photos and thoughts with fans, recently posted images of himself meeting admirers outside his Mumbai home, Jalsa. Captioned “Yes, I praise Abhishek. So?”, the post sparked comments from users questioning why he doesn’t do the same for Jaya, Aishwarya, or Shweta.
Responding directly, Bachchan wrote, “Yes, I shall praise them in my heart… not publicly… respect for the ladies.” His reply quickly circulated across platforms, with many praising his thoughtful answer. Others pointed to his tendency to engage more often when defending Abhishek, especially around film releases.
Bachchan also shut down a user accusing him of having “paid fans,” bluntly replying, “Prove it! You are small-minded… why don’t you pay and get fans too?” When another person mocked those waiting outside his home as “unemployed,” he replied with characteristic wit: “So give them a job? When they stand at the gate of Jalsa, they are EMPLOYED in love.”
Actor remains active on social media while juggling film projects
Bachchan has become increasingly interactive online in recent years, often directly responding to criticism and fan feedback. Meanwhile, Abhishek was last seen in Housefull 5, a multi-starrer comedy that released earlier this month. Jaya Bachchan appeared in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in 2023, while Aishwarya Rai was part of Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan films. Despite the online chatter, Amitabh continues to walk his own path, on-screen and online.