After AR Rahman communal comment row, ‘Jai Ho’ takes center stage at Beating Retreat ceremony | Bollywood News
4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jan 29, 2026 07:02 PM IST
Legendary composer AR Rahman, who recently found himself at the center of a storm over remarks about Bollywood and communal bias, saw one of his most iconic creations take the spotlight today. At the Beating Retreat ceremony following the 77th Republic Day celebrations at Vijay Chowk, the armed forces band performed “Jai Ho,” the Oscar-winning track from Slumdog Millionaire that has become synonymous with national pride.
“Jai Ho” plays at the Beating Retreat ceremony
The ceremony, attended by President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and several Union ministers, began with a National Salute, hoisting of the tricolour, and the national anthem. Following this, the bands of the three services performed a medley of patriotic tunes, including “Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja,” “Incredible India,” “Veer Sainik,” “Mili Jhuli,” “Nritya Sarita,” “Marooni,” and “Jhelum.” The Central Armed Police Forces bands joined in with stirring performances of “Vijay Bharat,” “Hathrohi,” “Jai Ho,” and “Veer Sipahi.”
𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲 – 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 ||
Central Armed Police Forces Bands Perform “Jai Ho” at Vijay Chowk@PMOIndia | #BeatingRetreat | @rashtrapatibhvn pic.twitter.com/3vNQZpniMC
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) January 29, 2026
The inclusion of “Jai Ho” carried added significance, arriving after AR Rahman’s comments on the Indian film industry sparked widespread debate.
What AR Rahman had said
During an interview with BBC Asian Network, AR Rahman had spoken candidly about challenges in Bollywood, hinting at bias in the industry. He remarked, “Maybe I never get to know of this, maybe it was concealed, but I didn’t feel any of this. Maybe in the past eight years, because a power shift has happened and people who are not creative have the power now. It might be a communal thing also… but it is not in my face.”
He added, “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 for work. I don’t want to go in search for work. I want work to come to me; my sincerity to earn work. Whatever I deserve, I get.”
Social media reacted swiftly, with critics accusing AR Rahman of making divisive statements. Prominent voices in the industry, including Javed Akhtar, Ram Gopal Varma, Kangana Ranaut, and others, publicly disagreed, intensifying the debate.
AR Rahman’s clarification
In response to the uproar, AR Rahman shared a video statement on Instagram, clarifying that his intentions were misunderstood and expressing gratitude for India as a source of inspiration.
Story continues below this ad
“India is my inspiration, my teacher and my home. I understand that intentions can sometimes be misunderstood. But my purpose has always been to uplift, honour, and serve through music. I have never wished to cause pain and I hope my sincerity is felt. I feel blessed to be Indian, which enables me to create a space that always allows freedom of expression and celebrates multicultural voices,” Rahman said.
He highlighted his ongoing projects and collaborations, including JHALAA at the WAVES Summit, work with young Naga musicians, mentoring the Sunshine Orchestra, building Secret Mountain, India’s first multicultural virtual band, and scoring Ramayana alongside Hans Zimmer, calling each project a reinforcement of his musical purpose.
“I remain grateful to this nation and committed to music that honours the past, celebrates the present, and inspires the future. Jai Hind and Jai Ho,” Rahman concluded, as the video ended with a cricket stadium singing his song “Vande Mataram” in unison.
