The Oscar-winning composer, who is collaborating with Hans Zimmer on the film's music, said he is often his own harshest critic and does not automatically approve of everything he creates. He also explained that some musical compositions require time to evolve, with ideas sometimes revisited over several months before they are finalised.
'Mangal Rang' sparked a debate among listeners over its qawwali-like musical treatment for a song associated with the mythological epic. Addressing the criticism in an interview with The Indian Express, Rahman said he does not necessarily love everything he produces.
"I am my first critic. It is not that I just love everything I do," he said.
Explaining how certain compositions can develop their potential over time, Rahman drew an unusual comparison with the process of making pickle. He said some musical ideas benefit from being allowed to mature rather than being finalised immediately.
"Sometimes you need to take anthropology into consideration. Sometimes, you let something be, like pickle: for certain tunes, the older it is, the better it becomes," he said.
Rahman also stressed that composers cannot continually make creative decisions based on public reactions. Highlighting the importance of remaining confident in artistic choices, he quoted Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.
"If you want to satisfy everyone, go sell ice cream," he said.
'Mangal Rang' features the film's principal characters, played by Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash. While its musical arrangement became a talking point on social media, the composition incorporates several classical influences.
Rahman used the shuddh notes of Bilawal, blending them with elements of Maand, a raga traditionally associated with bhajans and wedding music, along with touches of Pahadi.
The musical arrangement was conceived to remain rooted in devotional and traditional sounds while exploring a distinct approach instead of simply following an established template. Despite the initial criticism, the song secured the No. 1 position on YouTube's trending music chart during the week of its release.
Meanwhile, Rahman's collaboration with Hans Zimmer has emerged as another major highlight of the project. Zimmer, known for composing music for films such as 'Interstellar', 'Inception' and 'Gladiator', has joined Rahman for the ambitious adaptation.
The music involves an extensive body of work, including songs, background score and multiple versions catering to different languages and markets.
Speaking about Zimmer's involvement, Rahman said the association could help the film attract a wider international audience.
"His name coming in Ramayana would bring a whole set of new audience curiosity," he said.
With 'Mangal Rang' generating debate over its musical treatment and Rahman defending his creative choices, the composition has become a prominent talking point surrounding 'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend'. The collaboration with Zimmer also adds another dimension to the film's musical ambitions, with the composers working on a wide-ranging score for different languages and markets.
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