A R Rahman

Speak Nothing… I do not understand the inner politics of the Hindi film industry. But I do understand something far more basic and far more important. A human being’s right to speak. An Oscar winning artist, A R Rahman, expressed how he felt. He spoke from his lived experience. You may agree with him. You may disagree with him. You may even strongly reject his view. That is how free societies function. What is unacceptable is what followed. People who were praising him till yesterday suddenly discovered horror stories about his character. Colleagues queued up to disown him. His faith was dragged into the argument. His professionalism was questioned. His art was belittled. All because he spoke. If you disagree, say you disagree. Argue facts. Present a counter view. That is debate. What happened instead was humiliation. Character assassination. Moral policing. And this is no longer just about one artist. Speak against the dominant narrative and you are branded a traitor. Question government policy and you are called a presstitute. Question the Prime Minister and you become anti national. Raise uncomfortable questions and you are booked under sedition. Develop a spine and you are raided. Keep quiet and you survive. Is this fair? I am not even debating the merit or demerit of what he said. The point is this. Judging a man, attacking his faith, insulting his work, and undermining his legacy because he expressed an opinion is atrocious. It is undemocratic. This is how freedom dies. Not overnight. Not with one incident. But slowly. Steadily. By making examples out of people who dare to speak. Today it is him. Tomorrow it will be someone else. And one day it will be you.