The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has refuted claims made by Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman regarding a decline in his Bollywood opportunities due to a "power shift" and possible communal bias. The BJP's reaction comes after Rahman, in an interview, alluded to a potential link between the changing dynamics in the Hindi film industry and a decrease in his work, suggesting that communal factors might be at play.

Rahman, reflecting on his career, noted that while he didn't experience prejudice earlier, the last eight years have been different. He mentioned hearing indirectly about instances where he was initially considered for projects but later replaced. Rahman attributed this shift to a "power shift" towards individuals "who are not creative" and the possibility of communal factors, though he clarified that he hadn't directly faced such discrimination. He described these instances as "Chinese whispers," where he learned of being replaced by multiple composers chosen by music companies. Despite this, Rahman stated he remains philosophical, not actively seeking work and preferring to focus on his family.

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale countered Rahman's allegations, asserting that numerous successful Muslim artists are widely admired in the country. Athawale stated, "I believe there is no truth to A.R. Rahman's allegations. The Hindi film industry has many artists from the Muslim community, including Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Aamir Khan, who are loved by people in Maharashtra and across India".

However, AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan sided with Rahman, stating that Rahman's observations deserve serious consideration. Pathan alleged that the BJP is spreading hatred and that rising polarization has led to incidents such as mob lynching and the targeting of minorities. He suggests that this environment may explain why Rahman would speak about such experiences.

The Congress party has also targeted the BJP, alleging that the party's divisive politics have communalized Bollywood, leading to discrimination against Rahman. However, it was pointed out that Rahman has won three National Awards in the past eight years.

Some observers suggest the change might be due to evolving music tastes, rather than communal bias. It has also been pointed out that Rahman himself has faced allegations of bias in the past. In 2020, Tamil poet Piraisoodan claimed Rahman's family showed intolerance towards Hindu traditions.