Mufti to Akhtar: Dismissing AR Rahman's Concerns Ignores Muslim Realities in Bollywood

• Mehbooba Mufti criticized Javed Akhtar for dismissing AR Rahman's concerns about communalization in Bollywood.
• Mufti stated that Akhtar's views contradict the 'lived and shared realities' of Indian Muslims, including his wife Shabana Azmi.
• Shabana Azmi has publicly spoken about being denied housing in Mumbai due to her religious identity.
• Mufti emphasized that Bollywood, historically a 'mini-India,' should reflect the country's social realities, and brushing aside such experiences doesn't change the truth.
• AR Rahman had previously suggested that communal factors might be affecting his work opportunities in Hindi cinema and criticized divisive religious tropes in films like Chhaava.

Why It Matters: Mehbooba Mufti argues that dismissing AR Rahman's concerns overlooks the real experiences of Indian Muslims.