People criticise and then apologise: AR Rahman on Ramayana music backlash

Amid fresh criticism surrounding the new Ramayana: Rise of a Legend song, Mangal Rang, singer-composer AR Rahman addressed the initial trolling of the film's music. He also reflected on breaking his 'no collaboration' rule for Hans Zimmer and handling public feedback.

In Short

• AR Rahman said that Ramayana's five-language soundtrack marks a major responsibility
• He revealed how the Ravana Tandav track initially received backlash
• Rahman said that he has no energy left to look at feedback

Director Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming epic Ramayana: Rise of a Legend's new song, Mangal Rang has met with fresh criticism online, adding to the ongoing debate surrounding the film’s soundtrack. Oscar-winning singer-composer AR Rahman addressed the initial trolling and mixed public response to the released tracks, including Ravana Tandav. He revealed that he remains unfazed by social media feedback, choosing to focus on the sincerity of his work.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Rahman explained that the intense production process leaves little room to monitor online discourse. "We do so much work, filtration, ideation, and iteration that there's no energy left to look at feedback! We just put it out because it's been tried and tested so much. My son keeps telling me, 'This is what they said yesterday, now they're apologising...' I say fine, I've done my work sincerely and hope people celebrate it," he said.

Addressing the loud chatter around the Ravana Tandav track — which faced initial backlash before listeners turned appreciative — Rahman highlighted that taking on Ramayana: Rise of a Legend three decades into his career brought a unique responsibility.

"After the first 10 years, people said, 'Oh, you should do what you did in those first 10 years.' But I can't stay on old glory like Rockstar or Slumdog Millionaire. You can't stagnate yourself — you have to be like a flowing river. Now Ramayana has come, and these songs are in five different languages. It's an epic story almost every Indian knows. It's such a great honour to do those songs and be part of that celebration with India and the world," he said.

Ramayana: Rise of a Legend's latest track, Mangal Rang, ignited a heated debate online due to its perceived qawwali influences, which some fans feel do not suit the epic's traditional setting. The fusion of styles in the song featuring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita has sparked discussions on the appropriateness of musical choices in films based on Indian mysticism.

The film also marks a rare departure from Rahman’s preference for solo work as he joins hands with legendary German composer Hans Zimmer. Explaining why he broke his 'no collaboration' rule, Rahman revealed that Zimmer had first invited him to collaborate 14–15 years ago after his Oscar win for Slumdog Millionaire, but he passed at the time because he was in "chill-out mode."

Speaking about the partnership, Rahman shared that while he usually prefers solo projects, Zimmer joining Ramayana is "such a blessing because it changes the narrative." He noted that international audiences in places like New Zealand or Europe might treat it as "just another Indian movie" if they only see local names, but Zimmer's presence will spark global curiosity. "It's a great move by the producer," Rahman added.

Produced by Namit Malhotra and directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is a two-part cinematic saga also features Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman. The first part is scheduled for a worldwide release on November 5, ahead of Diwali, with Part Two slated for Diwali 2027.

Ahead of the film's release, Rahman is set to perform live as part of his Wonderment Tour at Jio World Garden in Mumbai on November 1, followed by a performance at Backyard Sports Club in Delhi on November 21.

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