Manoj Muntashir has stepped back into the devotional film conversation with a clear message: Adipurush may have failed, but its songs are off the table. Reacting on X to comparisons with the music of Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, the writer asked critics not to “challenge the songs.”
He did not defend the film itself. “Adipurush was a very bad film, the dialogues were even worse, but the songs—every child in the country sings them,” he wrote. “Go to Shri Ayodhya sometime, and you’ll hear nothing but Adipurush songs playing in every alley.” He added the line that has travelled most: “I didn’t write nursery rhymes for Ram, nor qawwalis.”
Muntashir also repeated that he has apologised to Ram devotees many times for his earlier mistakes and that forgiveness was granted. His argument is that the music had no lack of devotion, dedication or poetry.
Why the comparison stings
The timing matters. Ramayana Part 1, composed by AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer, has been through the familiar arc: early criticism followed by praise. A news report on the backlash to the track Mangal Rang dragged Adipurush back into the conversation, and Muntashir responded.
Adipurush was not a routine miss. Mounted on a reported budget of ₹550 crore, the Om Raut-directed retelling opened big and then collapsed on word of mouth, ending its run more than ₹200 crore short of breakeven. It became Bollywood’s biggest box-office bomb and was mired in controversies over dialogue and character portrayal.
- Adipurush: ₹550 crore budget, over ₹200 crore short of breakeven.
- Its music: Ajay-Atul, lyrics by Manoj Muntashir.
- Ramayana Part 1: Releases worldwide on 5 November, ahead of Diwali.
- Ramayana music: AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
The lesson for fans and makers
Muntashir’s defence is a useful split. He can say the film was bad and still argue that the songs have lived on; the two do not have to share the same reputation. For audiences, that is a fair way to approach Ramayana: judge the full soundtrack on its own, and the film on its own when it opens.
But the Adipurush numbers are also a warning. A beloved album can keep playing long after a film leaves theatres, but it cannot rescue a film that loses its audience. Ramayana Part 1, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi, will face that test from 5 November. Part 2 is being planned around Diwali 2027.
Source: Hindustan Times