The music director Ismail Darbar in 2011 created a massive debate where he claimed that AR Rahman had ‘bought’ the Oscars he earned for his film Slumdog Millionaire.

Rahman denied all the accusations, the composer stated that it was impossible to buy an Oscar.

Rahman won two Academy Awards in 2009 for Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire. He earned the award for both Best Original Score and Best Original Song for the single Jai Ho.

Ismail said, “I just don’t understand how the music for that movie won the prestigious award. What was Oscar-worthy about it? Nothing.”

He further added that the work on Slumdog Millionaire was much below Rahman’s other films. “I would have been happy had he won it for films like Roja or Bombay but not for Slumdog. He did not deserve it. Aur, mujhe pata hai ki ise kharida gaya hai (And, I know that it has been bought).”

Rahman responded to the accusation, saying “Oscars cannot be bought.” The Oscar-winning composer said, “It’s 3000 people… how can it be possible,” he added.