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Oscar and Grammy winning composer A.R. Rehman appeared in the latest episode of Netflix’s ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’ (airing on January 30, 2026), where he created musical magic and banter with guests Vijay Sethupathi, Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth Jadhav – all amid the ongoing controversy over his recent “communal” comments about Bollywood.

The episode featured a mix of comedy sketches, music and games, and was Vijay Sethupathi’s first show on Kapil’s couch. Host Kapil Sharma playfully teased the difference, joking to Rehman: “You might have thought they wanted to sign you as a playback singer or an actor.” The maestro’s light smile made the audience laugh. Highlights included a fun headphone challenge with dramatic guesses and a new remix of ‘Humma Humma’ where Rahman jammed with Sunil Grover as ‘Diamond Raja’ on the track ‘Slowly Slowly’ that got everyone grooving.

The light-hearted show comes just weeks after Rahman’s January 2026 BBC Asian Network interview, where he talked about receiving fewer offers from Bollywood over the past eight years, attributing this to “changes in power dynamics” and “communal” factors – likely implying discrimination to religion, regional identity or politics. These comments sparked controversy, with right-wing Hindu groups and social media users accusing him of discrimination, leading to calls for a boycott.

Rahman clarified in a January 18 video: “I never wanted to hurt anyone… My words were misunderstood. India is my inspiration; my music celebrates unity.” He stressed that his intention was not to hurt anyone, and reiterated his commitment to cultural harmony.

Despite the uproar, Rahman’s presence reflected his enduring popularity – fewer words, deeper impact. The episode combats division in a subtle way while promoting unity through entertainment, and fans praised its gentleness. As 2026 approaches, Rahman is preparing for projects like co-scoring for ‘Ramayana’ with Hans Zimmer, which proves that his legacy is beyond controversies.