AR Rahman on Ramayana music: critics today, apologisers tomorrow

When a composer with AR Rahman’s catalogue gets trolled, the internet expects a reaction. Instead, the Oscar-winning musician says he is too busy making the work to monitor the discourse around Ramayana: Rise of a Legend.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Rahman addressed the mixed response to the film’s songs, including the new track Mangal Rang and the earlier Ravana Tandav. His takeaway is simple: “We just put it out because it’s been tried and tested so much,” and after that there is, in his words, “no energy left to look at feedback.”

The feedback cycle Rahman refuses to join

Rahman described a process of “filtration, ideation, and iteration” that leaves little room for social media scorekeeping. He said his son keeps showing him how the online mood swings: “This is what they said yesterday, now they’re apologising…” Rahman’s response is to finish the work sincerely and hope people celebrate it.

That pattern, he suggested, already played out with Ravana Tandav, which drew criticism before many listeners began to appreciate it. Mangal Rang now finds itself in the same debate, with sections of the audience questioning whether its qawwali-influenced texture fits an epic rooted in Indian mythology.

Why Ramayana is a different kind of score

Rahman said taking on the Nitesh Tiwari epic three decades into his career carries a special weight. The songs are being prepared in five languages, and the story is one “almost every Indian knows.” He also pushed back on the idea that he should repeat the sound of earlier milestones.

“You can’t stagnate yourself — you have to be like a flowing river,” Rahman said, referring to the constant comparisons with works such as Rockstar and Slumdog Millionaire.

For an audience that treats film music as both devotion and entertainment, the stakes are especially high. The first part of the two-part saga is scheduled for a worldwide release on November 5, ahead of Diwali, with the second part slated for Diwali 2027.

• Mangal Rang: Features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Sita; criticised for perceived qawwali influences.
• Ravana Tandav: Faced early trolling, then drew warmer reactions.
• The wider cast: Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Sunny Deol as Hanuman.
• Release plan: Part One on November 5; Part Two for Diwali 2027.

The Hans Zimmer exception

Perhaps the most unusual part of the score is the collaboration with German composer Hans Zimmer. Rahman, who generally keeps his projects solo, said Zimmer first invited him to collaborate 14–15 years ago, soon after the Slumdog Millionaire Oscar win, but he passed because he was in what he called “chill-out mode.”

Now the equation has changed. Rahman described Zimmer’s involvement as “such a blessing because it changes the narrative.” The reasoning is practical: audiences in places like New Zealand or Europe might otherwise treat the film as “just another Indian movie,” but a globally known composer can generate wider curiosity. “It’s a great move by the producer,” he added.

What to watch around the release

For listeners still making up their minds, there are two live chances around the release: a Wonderment Tour show at Jio World Garden in Mumbai on November 1, and a performance at Backyard Sports Club in Delhi on November 21.

The real verdict, though, will arrive when the film itself lands. If the Ravana Tandav pattern holds, some of the harshest early takes may look very different in a few weeks.

Source: India Today