New Delhi: The makers of Ramayana: Rise of a Legend released a new song, ‘Mangal Rang’, on 25 October ahead of the film’s release before Diwali. Composed by AR Rahman and sung by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal, the track celebrates the sacred union of Ram and Sita and marks her arrival in the kingdom of Ayodhya. The lyrics are written by Kumar Vishwas.
However, the song’s qawwali-like sound has drawn criticism on social media. Soon after its release, several X users questioned the musical style, with some arguing that it was not suited to a film based on the Hindu epic.
“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,” wrote one user.
Some even accused Rahman of first bringing Urdu music in Vicky Kaushal’s Chhava (2025), and now Sufi beats to Ramayana.
Fans are calling it “sufi-coding of Ramayana.”
“Qawwali in Ramayana. AR Rahman never fails to disappoint,” read one post.
Another user accused Rahman of reusing an earlier composition.
“Thanks @arrahman for giving us recycled Qawwali Tamil song for Ramayan Movie,” one tweet read.
The track has been compared to Rahman’s Tamil song ‘Enna Solla Pogirai’ from the 2000 film Kandukondain Kandukondain, starring Ajith Kumar, Mammootty, Tabu and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Another user compared ‘Mangal Rang’ to Rahman’s ‘Kun Faya Kun’ from Rockstar (2011).
“AR Rahman used his ‘Kun Faya Kun’ wala Sufi Music and changed the lyrics for Ramayan. What kind of special idiot producer-director allows such stupidity,” read one post.
Others expressed a preference for music that draws more directly from Sanskrit traditions, questioning the choice of a qawwali-inspired sound for a story rooted in Hindu mythology.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana: The Rise of Legend is set to hit theatres on 5 November.
The film features Ranbir Kapoor as Ram and Sai Pallavi as Sita. Yash will play Ravana. It also stars Sunny Deol, Rakul Preet Singh and Lara Dutta in key roles.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)