Muntashir’s ‘Qawwalis’ Jibe: A Dig at Ramayana?

The Ramayana song Mangal Rang has unexpectedly brought Adipurush back into the conversation. When the media questioned Adipurush lyricist Manoj Muntashir about comparisons between the songs of the two films, he strongly defended the songs he wrote for Prabhas’ film. His response included a pointed remark that has now added a fresh twist to the ongoing debate.

Defending his work, Muntashir said, “I didn’t write nursery rhymes for Ram, nor qawwalis.” The qawwali reference is particularly interesting, as Mangal Rang has faced criticism on social media over its musical style. Though Muntashir did not directly target Ramayana or name its song, his choice of words has invited interpretations that his response was an indirect dig at the criticism surrounding the new film’s music.

Interestingly, Muntashir has admitted that Adipurush was bad and its dialogues were even worse. However, he refuses to accept the same criticism of its songs, insisting that their devotion, dedication and poetry should not be questioned. He has also claimed that the songs continue to be heard in Ayodhya.

While Adipurush was heavily criticised for its dialogues and treatment of the epic, Ramayana is now facing questions over its songs. Muntashir has admitted the flaws in Adipurush but continues to stand by its music. His “nursery rhymes and qawwalis” remark has brought the focus back to Ramayana’s music, even though he has not directly named the film.