A new wedding song from the upcoming film Ramayana: Rise of a Legend has become a talking point on social media, but not for the reasons its makers might have hoped. Titled Mangal Rang, the track composed by AR Rahman and sung by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal was released on October 25, 2026 . The song celebrates the wedding of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita, portrayed in the film by Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi .
Within hours of its release, listeners began questioning the song’s musical style, pointing to what they described as clear qawwali and Sufi influences in a story rooted in Hindu mythology .
What Mangal Rang Sounds Like and Why It Caused a Stir
Mangal Rang is a wedding track with lyrics written by Kumar Vishwas . The song shows the marriage celebrations of Ram and Sita and Sita’s arrival in Ayodhya . The composition uses a chorus, a repeated use of the word “rang,” and a guitar line that reminded several listeners of the bulbul tarang, an instrument often linked to qawwali music . These elements led to a wave of reactions on X (formerly Twitter), with users debating whether such a sound fits a film based on the Ramayana .
The Comparisons to Rahman’s Earlier Work
Listeners quickly drew parallels between Mangal Rang and two of Rahman’s earlier songs. One is Kun Faya Kun from the 2011 film Rockstar, a Sufi track that became widely popular . The other is Enna Solla Pogirai from the 2000 Tamil film Kandukondain Kandukondain . A user on X wrote that Mangal Rang felt “self-inspired from Enna Solla Pogirai” and described the new song as “obviously qawwali-coded” . Another post read: “Thanks @arrahman for giving us recycled Qawwali Tamil song for Ramayan Movie” . These are social media comparisons and allegations, not established findings of musical plagiarism .
“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!” – a user on X
Another user wrote: “Qawwali in Ramayana. AR Rahman never fails to disappoint” . Some listeners also said they would have preferred songs rooted more closely in Sanskrit traditions, with one user stating that “shudh Sanskrit songs” would have been “100x better” .
The Haldi Ceremony Scene That Added Fuel to the Fire
The music was not the only part of Mangal Rang that came under scrutiny. A scene in the song shows women applying haldi to Ranbir Kapoor’s Ram while Sai Pallavi’s Sita stands nearby . Some viewers interpreted this as a haldi ceremony and questioned why the bride would be present during the groom’s ritual. A user asked: “Since when do brides watch the groom haldi ceremony? Isn’t this disrespectful to Hindu tradition?” .
Others argued that the scene had been misunderstood. Several users suggested that the sequence may actually depict preparations for Lord Rama’s coronation, known as Rajyabhishek, rather than a haldi ceremony . One user pointed to the costumes worn by Sita in the song and in scenes linked to the events before Rama’s exile, arguing that the visuals match the coronation timeline . Another interpretation that surfaced online was that the ritual could be the traditional Chumawan ceremony rather than a haldi function . The debate shows how closely audiences are watching every detail of a film based on a story that millions know by heart.
AR Rahman Says He Has Done His Work Sincerely
AR Rahman addressed the criticism in an interview with Hindustan Times, saying that the effort that goes into making music leaves him with little time to track online reactions .
“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.” – AR Rahman
Rahman also spoke about the pressure of composing for a story of this scale three decades into his career. He said he cannot “stay on old glory like Rockstar or Slumdog Millionaire” and that an artist must keep moving forward . The composer noted that the Ramayana songs have been created in five different languages .
Release Date, Cast and Advance Booking Numbers
Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra . The first part is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on November 5, 2026, with the second part planned for Diwali 2027 . The film will be released in Hindi and English in IMAX and premium large formats .
The cast includes Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Arun Govil as Dasharatha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, and Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha, among others .
According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film had generated approximately Rs 205 million (over Rs 20 crore) in reported worldwide bookings as of October 26, including advance sales for preview screenings on November 4 and opening-day shows on November 5.
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A Soundtrack Built with Hans Zimmer
The music of Ramayana marks a rare collaboration between AR Rahman and German composer Hans Zimmer, bringing together two Academy Award-winning musicians . Rahman revealed that Zimmer had first invited him to work together around 14 to 15 years ago, shortly after the Oscar win for Slumdog Millionaire, but he passed at the time . Rahman said Zimmer joining the project is “such a blessing because it changes the narrative” for international audiences .
The mixed response to Mangal Rang follows an earlier round of criticism for another track from the film, Ravana Tandav, which was released around Dussehra . Rahman noted that some listeners who initially criticised that song later changed their views.
Also Read: Ranbir Kapoor Says Playing Lord Ram in Ramayana Made Him a Better Human; Reveals Initial Fear on KBC
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