AR Rahman performs Jana Gana Mana, Vande Mataram at UAE concert amid row

Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman delivered a stirring performance at a packed concert in Abu Dhabi, days after his remarks on Bollywood and “divisiveness” triggered debate online. Videos from the event, held at the Etihad Arena on 23 January, showed Rahman performing patriotic classics including Jana Gana Mana and Vande Mataram, drawing loud applause from fans.

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, who attended the concert, praised the evening in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Calling it an “exhilarating concert”, Kapur wrote that the arena was packed to capacity, with nearly 20,000 people cheering, singing, dancing and, at times, visibly emotional as Rahman performed his popular numbers.

Check out the tweet here:

Clips shared by fans and social media users also suggested that Rahman opened the concert with Jana Gana Mana, the song from Mani Ratnam’s Aayutha Ezhuthu. Lifestyle influencer Prince, who attended the four-hour-long show, posted that the composer began with several South Indian tracks before moving to his Hindi hits. The setlist also included Vande Mataram/Maa Tujhe Salaam and Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire.

The concert took place against the backdrop of a controversy triggered by A R Rahman’s recent interview with the BBC Asian Network, where he reflected on his diminishing presence in mainstream Hindi cinema over the past few years. Responding to a question on whether he had ever experienced prejudice in the industry as a Tamil composer, Rahman said that a “power shift” had taken place, adding that people who were “not creative” appeared to hold greater influence now. He went on to suggest that the change could be “a communal thing”, while clarifying that it was not something he faced directly or overtly.

During the same conversation, Rahman also criticised the film Chhaava, accusing it of leveraging divisiveness for commercial gain. His remarks sparked sharp reactions online, with some users questioning his intent and others accusing him of politicising cinema.

Amid the backlash, singer Chinmayi Sripaada came out strongly in Rahman’s defence after claims circulated suggesting that he had, in the past, refused to sing Vande Mataram or Maa Tujhe Salaam. Chinmayi dismissed the allegation as misleading, pointing out Rahman’s long association with patriotic music and his repeated public performances of the song.

Rahman also received support from his children—Khatija, Raheema and Ameen—who shared posts backing their father and urging restraint in interpreting his comments. Addressing the controversy directly, the composer later released a video message reiterating his deep connection with India. He described the country as his “inspiration, teacher and home”, and said that while his intentions were rooted in creativity and inclusiveness, he understood that they could sometimes be misunderstood.

UAE-based filmmaker Nayla Al Khaja also voiced support for Rahman, praising his body of work and calling for a more nuanced reading of his remarks amid the ongoing debate.