A.R. Rahman Responds to Criticism Over Ramayana Song

Oscar winning music composer A.R. Rahman has responded to criticism surrounding the songs of the upcoming film Ramayana: Rise of a Legend. Addressing the negative reactions to the recently released song ‘Mangal Rang’, Rahman said that he does not feel the need to respond to everyone’s opinions. He recalled Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ remark that “if you want to please everybody, you should sell ice cream”. Speaking in an interview, Rahman explained that creating a song requires considerable thought and time, and that music should not be judged too quickly.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana features music composed by Rahman, with Oscar-winning Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer also associated with the project. Rahman said that Zimmer’s involvement has increased international interest in the film. He revealed that music had to be composed separately for the Hollywood and Indian versions across five languages, making the work feel equivalent to composing music for nearly ten films. Starring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi in lead roles, the film is planned as a two-part saga, with Part 1 scheduled for release on November 5, as a Diwali treat.