India is not just Bollywood, says A.R. Rahman

A.R. Rahman, the Oscar-winning composer, has said that India is not just Bollywood, and that the country has a rich diversity of cultures and film industries.

Rahman, who has worked in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam films, said that the world needs to see beyond Bollywood and appreciate the talent that exists in other parts of India.

"The world believes that the only film industry that exists is the Hindi film industry which we call Bollywood," Rahman said in an interview with PTI. "It's so nice to see 'Naatu Naatu', a Telugu song, winning Oscars. I never use the word Bollywood since it's so convenient and derivative from Hollywood. I keep correcting everyone when they use these terms."

Rahman said that India has a "rainbow" of cultures and languages, and that each region has its own unique film industry. He pointed to the success of films like "Baahubali" and "RRR" as evidence of the talent that exists in the south Indian film industries.

"The world needs to see beyond Bollywood and appreciate the diversity of talent that exists in India," Rahman said. "There is so much great cinema being made in India, and it's time for the world to take notice."

Rahman's comments are a timely reminder of the diversity of Indian cinema. Bollywood is certainly the most well-known film industry in India, but it is not the only one. There are many other film industries in India, each with its own unique culture and style.

It is important to support all of India's film industries, not just Bollywood. By doing so, we can help to promote diversity and creativity in Indian cinema.