Oscar-winning composer A. R. Rahman reacts to an online controversy involving Imtiaz Ali’s film Main Vaapas Aaunga. Some social media users have criticized the film as “anti-national,” arguing that it depicts Pakistan without the stereotypes they associate with mainstream spy-and-terror portrayals. Rahman’s response is brief: he shares a screenshot of a satirical Instagram post on his own Instagram story, accompanied by a laughing emoji. The satirical caption mocks the complaint by suggesting the film shows ordinary people in Pakistan rather than focusing on terrorists or secret agents. The satire also references a moment in the movie associated with the title line “Mein Vaapas Aaunga.”

Across reports, Rahman does not issue a detailed statement, instead appearing to dismiss the criticism through the shared joke. The film itself is described as a Partition-era drama set around themes of love, loss, displacement, memory, and belonging, starring Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Sharvari, and Vedang Raina. Rahman and Imtiaz Ali also are noted as having previously collaborated on multiple films, and the latest soundtrack is created with lyricist Irshad Kamil.