Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman has addressed questions surrounding faith and identity after announcing his involvement in filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming epic Ramayana. Responding to criticism and online trolling, Rahman emphasised that art, knowledge, and storytelling transcend religious boundaries, and should be approached with openness rather than prejudice.

Rahman, who is collaborating with two-time Academy Award winner Hans Zimmer on the ambitious project, said that his connection with Indian epics dates back to his childhood and is rooted in cultural familiarity rather than religious labels.

“Art cannot be confined by religion”

Speaking in a recent conversation on the BBC Asian YouTube channel, Rahman reflected on his early exposure to Indian mythology and literature.

“I studied in a Brahmin school, and every year we had Ramayana and Mahabharata, so I know the story,” he said.

The composer highlighted that the core of the Ramayana lies in its moral values and universal ideals, not in religious exclusivity.

“The story is about how virtuous and high-principled a person is. People can debate, but I value all the good things—any good thing that you can learn,” Rahman added.

He also referenced teachings across religions that encourage seeking knowledge regardless of its source, reinforcing his belief that wisdom is universal.

‘I am Muslim, Ramayana is Hindu—but art unites us’

Addressing the controversy more directly, Rahman urged society to rise above narrow-minded thinking.

“I think we need to rise above narrow-mindedness and selfishness. When we rise above, we shine—and that is very important,” he said.
“Hans Zimmer is Jewish, I am Muslim, and Ramayana is Hindu. It is coming from India to the whole world with love.”

His statement has been widely praised for underlining India’s pluralistic cultural tradition, where artists from diverse backgrounds have long contributed to stories rooted in different faiths.

AR Rahman’s background and early life

Rahman was born in Chennai (then Madras) into a Hindu family and was originally named Dileep Kumar Rajagopala. He converted to Islam in 1989 and adopted the name AR Rahman. Despite the change in religious identity, the composer has often spoken about how Indian classical traditions, spiritual philosophies, and diverse cultural influences shaped his musical journey.

Over the decades, Rahman has composed music for films across languages, cultures, and belief systems—often blending spiritual themes with contemporary soundscapes.

About Ramayana: cast, scale, and release

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana is one of the most ambitious Indian film projects ever undertaken.

• Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama
• Sai Pallavi as Sita
• Yash as Ravana
• Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman
• Ravi Dubey as Lakshmana
• Arun Govil as King Dasharatha
• Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha

The film is planned as a two-part cinematic epic, with:

• Part 1 releasing on Diwali 2026
• Part 2 releasing on Diwali 2027

Reportedly made on a staggering budget of over ₹4,000 crore, the project aims to present the ancient epic with cutting-edge visual effects and a globally appealing musical score.

Why Rahman’s involvement matters

Rahman’s collaboration with Hans Zimmer marks a rare East–West musical partnership for an Indian mythological film, positioning Ramayana as a project with international reach. His comments have reignited conversations about artistic freedom, inclusivity, and the dangers of reducing creativity to religious identity.

By choosing to participate in Ramayana, Rahman reiterates a long-held belief:
stories belong to humanity, not to any single faith.

Ranveer Singh’s spy thriller Dhurandhar has officially rewritten Indian box-office history. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film has emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi-language film of all time, cementing its place among Indian cinema’s biggest blockbusters.

Despite entering its fifth week in theatres and witnessing an expected slowdown, Dhurandhar continues to dominate the box office both domestically and overseas. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film has amassed a staggering ₹1,222 crore worldwide, putting it within touching distance of SS Rajamouli’s RRR, which stands at approximately ₹1,230 crore globally.

Strong Hold Despite Fifth-Week Dip

Like most large-scale releases, Dhurandhar experienced a drop in collections during its fifth week. On Day 32 (fifth Monday), the film saw a 62.75% decline, earning ₹4.75 crore. However, the action thriller bounced back over the weekend, reaffirming its extraordinary theatrical run.

On Day 34 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026), Dhurandhar collected ₹4.25 crore, registering an overall Hindi occupancy of 10.69%—a solid figure for a film running for over a month.

So far, the film has earned:

• ₹786 crore nett in India
• ₹1,222 crore worldwide

These numbers underline the film’s exceptional longevity and repeat audience value.

Dhurandhar Becomes Highest-Grossing Single-Language Indian Film

With its current tally, Dhurandhar has surpassed all previous Hindi-language releases to become the highest-grossing single-language Indian film ever. Its success has been driven by a mix of strong word-of-mouth, mass appeal, slick action sequences, and sustained interest in the spy-thriller genre.

The film features a powerful ensemble cast, including:

• Ranveer Singh
• Akshaye Khanna
• Arjun Rampal
• Sanjay Dutt
• R Madhavan

Each actor’s performance has been widely appreciated, contributing to the film’s broad demographic appeal.

On Track to Surpass RRR Worldwide

Dhurandhar is now poised to surpass the lifetime worldwide collection of RRR, one of Indian cinema’s biggest global successes. While RRR—starring Jr NTR and Ram Charan—finished its run at around ₹1,230 crore worldwide, Dhurandhar is less than ₹10 crore away from eclipsing that milestone.

Trade analysts expect Dhurandhar to cross the RRR mark within the next few days, provided it maintains even modest daily collections.

Sequel Already Announced

Buoyed by the film’s historic success, the makers have officially announced Dhurandhar: Part 2. The sequel is scheduled for release in March 2026 and is set to clash with Yash’s much-anticipated Toxic – A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, promising a major box-office showdown.

Other Releases: Ikkis Box Office Update

Meanwhile, Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis, starring Dharmendra and Agastya Nanda, continues its theatrical run at a modest pace. On its seventh day, the film collected ₹1.15 crore, taking its total India nett collection to ₹24.25 crore.

Ikkis opened with ₹7 crore on Day 1, followed by:

• ₹3.5 crore on Day 2
• ₹4.65 crore on Day 3
• ₹5 crore on Day 5

The film witnessed its first major drop on Day 5 (Monday), earning ₹1.35 crore, before slightly improving to ₹1.6 crore on Day 6.

Final Verdict

Dhurandhar’s box-office run stands as a landmark achievement for Hindi cinema. With record-breaking domestic earnings, massive overseas traction, and a sequel already in place, the film has firmly established itself as one of the most successful Indian theatrical releases of all time.

The box office on Tuesday, December 30, witnessed mixed performances across Bollywood, Hollywood and regional cinema. While Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar continued its impressive long run even in its fourth week, James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash showed marginal growth in India. Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday’s Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri remained stable, whereas Kannada action thriller Mark saw collections slowing down after a promising opening.

Here’s a detailed look at how major releases performed at the box office on Tuesday:

Dhurandhar box office collection Day 26

Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna starrer Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, continues to dominate the domestic box office despite entering its fourth week. On Day 26, the film earned Rs 11.25 crore, taking its India net total to Rs 712.25 crore.

Although the film witnessed a gradual dip after the fourth Monday, it still outperformed all competing releases. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 23.31% on Tuesday, indicating sustained audience interest.

Dhurandhar worldwide collection

The film has crossed the prestigious Rs 1,000 crore mark globally, with its worldwide box office collection standing at Rs 1,082 crore so far. Overseas markets contributed Rs 240.75 crore, making it one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2025.

Avatar: Fire and Ash box office update

Hollywood’s big-ticket release Avatar: Fire and Ash showed a slight upward trend on its second Tuesday. The sci-fi spectacle earned Rs 5.25 crore on Day 12, pushing its total India collection to Rs 148.15 crore.

Despite facing strong competition from local releases, the film continues to attract audiences, especially in premium formats like IMAX and 3D, aided by the year-end holiday season.

Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri Day 6 collection

Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday’s romantic drama Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri held steady at the box office on its first Tuesday. The film collected Rs 1.75 crore on Day 6, taking its total India collection to Rs 27 crore.

The film marks Kartik Aaryan’s first collaboration with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and has been receiving a mixed response from audiences, with urban centres contributing the bulk of its earnings.

Mark Kannada movie box office

Kannada action thriller Mark, starring Kichcha Sudeepa and directed by Vijay Karthikeyaa, saw its collections slow down on Day 6. The film earned Rs 90 lakh on Tuesday, taking its total box office collection to Rs 20.45 crore.

The film had opened strongly with Rs 8.6 crore on its first day, but weekday drops suggest that sustaining momentum may prove challenging unless weekend growth picks up.

Overall box office trend

While Dhurandhar continues to lead comfortably, Hollywood and regional releases are holding their ground modestly. With New Year holidays approaching, trade analysts expect slight growth in footfalls across multiplexes, which could give mid-budget films an additional boost.