A R Rahman -- winner of two Oscars -- revealed on Sunday why he has been taking up few Bollywood projects.
'I don't say no to good movies, but I think there is a gang, which, due to misunderstandings, is spreading some false rumours,' the composer told Radio Mirchi in an interview.
'When (Dil Bechara director) Mukesh Chhabra came to me, I gave him four songs in two days. He told me, "Sir, how many people said 'Don't go, don't go to him (A R Rahman) and they told me stories after stories".'
'I heard that, and I realised, yeah okay, now I understand why I am doing less (work in Hindi films) and why the good movies are not coming to me,' Rahman, who has composed some of the most memorable tracks in Hindi cinema in the mid and late 1990s and 2000s, said.
'I am doing dark movies because there is a whole gang working against me, without them knowing that they are doing harm.'
'People are expecting me to do stuff, but there is another gang of people preventing that from happening,' Rahman, who is not usually given to making such dramatic statements, said.
'It is fine, because I believe in destiny, and I believe that everything comes from God. So, I am taking my movies and doing my other stuff.'
'But all of you are welcome to come to me. Make beautiful movies, and you are welcome to come to me.'
Shekhar Kapur -- who worked with Rahman and Andrew Lloyd-Webber on Bombay Dreams, the London musical, responded to Rahman almost instantly.
'You know what your problem is @arrahman? You went and got #Oscars,' Shekhar said. 'An Oscar is the kiss of death in Bollywood. It proves you have more talent than Bollywood can handle.'
Another Oscar winner sound designer Resul Pookutty responded to Shekhar Kapur and said that he nearly had 'a breakdown' after nobody showed interest in working with him in the Hindi film industry after his win at the Academy Awards.
'Dear @shekharkapur ask me about it, I had gone through near breakdown as nobody was giving me work in Hindi films and regional cinema held me tight after I won the Oscar... There were production houses told me at my face" we don't need you" but still I love my industry, for it....' Resul tweeted.
Later, he tweeted that he did not want to blame anyone for not taking him in films.
'@shekharkapur... and much later when I discussed this with my @TheAcademy members friends they told me about #OscarCurse! It's faced by everybody! I enjoyed going through that phase when you are on top of the world & when you know people reject you, it's the biggest reality check!' he tweeted, adding, 'I'm also not liking the direction in which the whole nepotism discussion is going. So peace! I'm not blaming anybody for not taking me in their films.'
We believe Rahman and Resul must name the members of this 'gang', so the world knows who obstructs these Oscar winners from getting work in Bollywood.
