'I've done my work sincerely': AR Rahman on facing backlash over Ramayana soundtrack

Filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming epic Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is just weeks away from its big theatrical release. Amid promotions, the film has been facing fresh criticism online over a new song, Mangal Rang, which has been composed by AR Rahman. The film’s soundtrack has been scrutinised online to a great length.

Rahman had addressed the initial trolling and the mixed public response that the film’s soundtrack has been facing. He revealed in an earlier interview that he remains unfazed by social media feedback and chooses 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.

Before Mangal Rang, another track from the film, Ravana Tandav, also faced backlash before listeners began to appreciate it. Rahman stated that saying yes to Ramayana, 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.

What is the controversy around Mangal Rang

Ramayana: Part 1’s new track Mangal Rang, has sparked heated debate online, with many claiming the song has qawwali influences which 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 Sita has sparked discussions on the appropriateness of musical choices in films based on Indian mysticism.

Soon after its release, many took to X to criticise the musical style, with some questioning its suitability for a film based on the epic.

One user wrote, "Putting Sufi qawwali beats into Valmiki's Ramayana is peak Bollywood delusion. Zero cultural grounding, zero research, just recycled templates slapped onto a massive budget. Stop treating sacred Itihasa like a regular Friday rom-com!"

Another user wrote, "Qawwali in Ramayana. AR Rahman never fails to disappoint."

A third user questioned the musical choice, posting, "Qawwali music in Ramayana AR Rahman are u nuts."

Hans Zimmer- AR Rahman collaborate

Not just Rahman, but Ramayana brings legendary German composer Hans Zimmer as a composer. Rahman, who usually does not collaborate with other composers in a film, broke his rule for the legendary composer and said 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.

About Ramayana

Produced by Namit Malhotra and directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is a two-part cinematic saga which stars Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Ravie Dubey 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.