The appearance of Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman on The Great Indian Kapil Sharma Show Season 4 has triggered a political row. Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane has openly objected to Rahman being featured on the popular Netflix show.
The episode started streaming on Sunday and quickly grabbed attention online. Soon after, Nitesh Rane urged Netflix and the show’s makers to rethink their decision. He claimed that Rahman’s recent remarks had hurt the sentiments of India, its history, and the Hindu community.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Nitesh Rane shared a strongly worded post criticising the move.
Nitesh Rane Angry Over AR Rahman’s Appearance
Explaining his stand, Nitesh Rane wrote, “Comedy ki baat ho to naam aata hai Kapil Sharma ka, aur The Great Indian Kapil Show ko desh-videsh mein badi lokpriyata mili hai. Lekin AR Rahman ke kuch vivaadit bayaanon ke kaaran Bharat, itihaas aur Hindu samaj ki bhavnaon ko thes pahunchi hai. Aisi paristhiti mein unhe bade manch par sthaan dene ke faisle ka hum teevr virodh karte hain.”
He further added, “Manoranjan ki swatantrata swikaar hai, parantu janbhavnaon, Hindu samaj ki bhavnaon aur rashtriya ekta ko prathmikta di jaani chahiye. Netflix aur show nirmaataon se apeksha hai ki ve is faisle par punarvichaar karein aur samajik sanvedansheelta ka sammaan karein. Comedy swagat yogya hai, lekin Bharat ki akhandta, saanskritik asmita aur Hindutva se koi samjhauta sweekaar nahi hai.”
Why AR Rahman Is Facing Backlash
The anger against Rahman began after a BBC Asian Network interview in January 2026. During the conversation, the composer spoke about getting fewer Bollywood projects in recent years. He linked this to changing power structures in the Hindi film industry and hinted at a possible “communal” bias.
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Several industry figures disagreed with him. Lyricist Javed Akhtar and singer Shaan publicly said Bollywood still works on merit. They also pointed out that many artistes from minority communities continue to succeed in mainstream cinema.
The controversy grew further when Rahman described the film Chhaava, based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, as “divisive”. This remark upset right-wing groups, who accused him of portraying India negatively and playing a VICTIM card.
Who Is Nitesh Rane?
Nitesh Rane is a senior BJP leader and a cabinet minister in the Maharashtra government. He currently handles the Fisheries and Ports Development portfolio. Rane represents the Kankavli constituency and has been an MLA since 2014.
He is the son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane and is known for his sharp political statements and aggressive style. Over the years, he has often made headlines for speaking out strongly on cultural and communal issues.
Meanwhile, the episode of The Great Indian Kapil Sharma Show Season 4 featuring AR Rahman aired yesterday and continues to stream on Netflix. Neither the platform nor the show’s makers have responded to Nitesh Rane’s demand so far. Rahman has also not released any fresh statement
