Rani Mukerji Dismisses AR Rahman's 'Communal' Claim, Says 'Bollywood Is The Most Secular Place'

Rani Mukerji is gearing up for the release of her highly anticipated movie Mardaani 3. It is the third instalment in the hit franchise. Ahead of the release, the actress is busy promoting, and in one such interview, she was asked to share her opinion on AR Rahman's 'communal' remark on Bollywood.

Rani Mukerji calls the Hindi film industry 'the most secular place'

In an interview with DD News, Rani Mukerji reacted to Rahman's claim and said that she believes there is no discrimination based on caste or religion in Bollywood. In her 30 years of career, she has never faced anything like this. “Bollywood is the most secular place, and I truly believe that. There is no discrimination based on caste or religion. In my 30 years in the industry, I have never experienced anything like this. I love this industry—it made me who I am today."

She added, "I am saying this from the bottom of my heart: here, merit matters. Your work speaks for you, and ultimately, the person the audience connects with is the one who survives and succeeds. For me, Bollywood remains the most secular and one of the most amazing places to be.”

When asked about the existence of different lobbies within the entertainment industry, to this, the actress replied that she stays away from such narratives. "I stay far away from all of that. I only focus on my films, and at this stage of my life, my priority is my child and my family.”

AR Rahman's controversial comment

The controversy began when Rahman, in an interview with BBC Asian Network, said that work from the Hindi film industry had slowed down for him in recent years and linked this to changes in the industry over the past eight years. He said, "People who are not creative have the power now to decide things, and this might have been a communal thing also but not in my face."

This comment attracted immense criticism and elicited opposing views from many in Bollywood, including Kangana Ranaut, Javed Akhtar, Shaan and more.

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