Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman added international sparkle to the premiere of Melania, the new documentary on former First Lady Melania Trump, held at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC on January 29.
The premiere drew a star-studded crowd from music, politics, sports, and entertainment.
Rahman, celebrated worldwide for his musical genius, was one of the evening’s biggest international highlights. Alongside him, the premiere welcomed FIFA President Gianni Infantino, rapper Waka Flocka Flame, and Jordan Belfort, whose life inspired The Wolf of Wall Street. Political figures, including former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, US Second Lady Usha Vance, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, also attended.
The documentary focuses on the 20 days leading up to Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration, offering a behind-the-scenes look at Melania Trump’s life during a pivotal political period. Directed by Brett Ratner and produced by Fernando Sulichin and Marc Beckman, the project also features Melania Trump as a producer and is being released by Amazon MGM Studios. The White House hosted a private screening on January 24, attended by Donald and Melania Trump, their son Barron, and select guests.
Rahman’s appearance came amid recent discussions he sparked regarding communal bias in Bollywood. Speaking to BBC Asian Network, the composer said, “Maybe I never got to know of this, maybe it was concealed by God, but I didn’t feel any of this. The past eight years, maybe, because a power shift has happened and people who are not creative have the power now.”
He added candidly, “It might be a communal thing also, but it is not in my face. It comes to me as Chinese whispers that they booked you but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers. I say good, I have more time to chill with my family. I am not in search of work. I don’t want to go in search of work. I want work to come to me; my sincerity to earn work. Whatever I deserve, I get.”
While excitement was high for the US premiere of the film, early indications from the UK suggest a muted reception. Melania is set to release in over 100 cinemas across the country on January 30, 2026, but advance ticket sales have been notably slow. Tim Richards, CEO of Vue, revealed that only one ticket had been sold for the 3:10 pm show at the company’s main Islington theatre, with just two tickets booked for the 6 pm screening.
Richards also addressed public criticism of Vue’s decision to screen the documentary, telling The Telegraph, “I have told everyone that, regardless of how we feel about the movie, if it is BBFC [British Board of Film Classification] approved, we look at them, and 99% of the time we will show it. We do not play judge and jury to censor movies.”
The UK release will see Melania competing with several high-profile films, including Jason Statham’s action thriller Shelter, horror title Primate, Bradley Cooper’s Is This Thing On?, and Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague.
The documentary reportedly had a production budget of $40 million, with Melania Trump herself receiving $28 million for her involvement. Running 104 minutes, Melania charts a crucial political period in her life and offers an intimate portrait of her role during the Trump presidency. Globally, the documentary is set to release in roughly 3,300 theatres.
