Shilpa Rao, the acclaimed Indian playback singer known for her work in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil cinema, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding AR Rahman's remarks about alleged communal influences in the Hindi film industry. The National Award-winning artist shared her views during the 13th edition of Expresso by SCREEN, emphasizing the need for artists to remain authentic despite potential professional setbacks.
Shilpa Rao on Professional Sacrifices
Rao stated, "You have to abstain as much as possible from being gullible and listening to a narrative and believe it and also do it. So if you abstain from that as much as possible then that's a good thing." She acknowledged that maintaining authenticity often requires difficult decisions, potentially leading to lost opportunities. "You might lose a project or two, and you might let go of a song or two. Yes, it happens all the time. So you might lose it for that moment, but in the bigger picture, you have to project yourself as yourself," she explained.
She further elaborated on her creative choices: "For example, if I have to choose between doing a run-of-the-mill song and play it safe or choose an in-your-face kind of song where I'm being crazy, I'll choose the second option because even if I fail at least I did what is me instead of doing something which is boring."
AR Rahman's Earlier Remarks on Industry Shifts
In January, AR Rahman addressed questions about discrimination in the Hindi film industry during an interview with BBC. When asked about facing prejudice as a Tamilian, he reflected on industry dynamics. "Maybe I never get to know of this, maybe it was concealed but I didn't feel any of this. Maybe in the past eight years because a power shift has happened and people who are not creative have the power now. It might be a communal thing also, but it is not in my face. It comes to me as Chinese whispers that they booked you but the music company went ahead and hired their 5 composers. I say good, I have more time to chill with my family. I am not in search for work. I don't want to go in search for work. I want work to come to me; my sincerity to earn work. Whatever I deserve, I get," he said.
Shilpa Rao's Journey Across Languages
Shilpa Rao began her career after composer Mithoon selected her to sing "Javeda Zindagi" from Anwar (2007). She later ventured into regional cinema with "Abacha" from Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam (2009) for Telugu audiences and made her Tamil debut with "Oru Maalai Neram" from Naan Mahaan Alla (2010). Her diverse work across languages highlights her versatility as a playback singer.
