Laxman Utekar Explains Why He Chose AR Rahman For Chhaava: ‘He First Asked Me Why...'

A. R. Rahman, one of India’s most globally celebrated composers and an Oscar winner, has found himself at the centre of a heated conversation following his recent comments on growing divisiveness in the country.

Over the past few days, Rahman’s observations on shifting power dynamics in the Hindi film industry and his description of Chhaava as a “divisive” film have triggered widespread discussion across social media.

Speaking to BBC Asian Network, Rahman reflected on how his work in Hindi cinema has slowed over the last eight years, subtly pointing towards a deeper systemic change.

“Maybe God concealed all this stuff. For me, I never felt any of those. Maybe I never get to know of this, maybe it was concealed. I didn’t feel any of this earlier. Maybe in the past eight years, because the power shift has happened. People who are not creative have the power to decide things now,” he said.

Why Did Rahman Score Chhaava Despite Calling It Divisive?

Rahman’s statement about Chhaava being divisive led many to question why he chose to compose music for the film in the first place. Addressing this curiosity, director Laxman Utekar shed light on his creative choices in a recent interview with Mamaraazzi.

When asked about assembling a team that included Vicky Kaushal, Rashmika Mandanna, Rahman and lyricist Irshad Kamil, Utekar explained that his vision for Chhaava was never rooted in regional authenticity alone.

“I did not want them to catch the flavour of Marathas, otherwise I would have made this film in Marathi. I wanted to make the film in Hindi so that the world knows about it. I wanted a wider approach. I did not want typical Marathi dialogues or Marathi songs,” he said.

An International Lens On Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj

Utekar further revealed that his inspiration came from epic historical films like Gladiator and Troy. His aim, he said, was to present the story of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj with an international cinematic sensibility.

“I wanted to make a film like that on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. And for an international approach, who better than Rahman sir,” he added.

Why Not Ajay-Atul? Director Clears The Air

Responding to comparisons with Marathi composers Ajay-Atul, Utekar clarified that his decision was not about sidelining regional talent.

“It is my dream to work with Ajay-Atul. I love their work. But with Chhaava, I wanted to make a film which people internationally would like. In Maharashtra, everyone knows about Sambhaji Maharaj. Outside Maharashtra, not many know about him. To take the word there, I wanted Rahman sir,” he explained.

How AR Rahman Came On Board

Utekar also recounted how Rahman eventually joined the project. After their successful collaboration on Mimi, the director and his writer flew to Chennai to narrate the script.

“Hearing it, the first thing he asked me was why do you want to make this film? Later, we showed him the film. He called me and said it was magical. That’s when he started working on the music,” Utekar shared.