"I was waiting for a banger."
The makers of Ramayana have released the film’s second song, ‘Ravana Tandav ‘, on the occasion of Dussehra.
The song’s visuals feature Yash in his formidable avatar as Ravana.
The one-minute and fifty-five-second sequence has generated significant online discussion.
While Yash’s commanding performance has impressed viewers, AR Rahman’s musical composition for the track has left the audience deeply disappointed.
The video opens with Ravana cutting his palm with a dagger and applying a Tripundra tilak to his forehead before performing a devotional ritual.
He then conducts aarti before a large idol of Lord Shiva before launching into the Tandav itself.
This is the sequence that has earned particular admiration from fans.
The video also incorporates a series of montage shots showcasing Yash’s intense and commanding screen presence.
The song is set to the Shiv Tandav Stotram, written by Dr Kumar Vishwas, and its Hindi version has been sung by Vishal Dadlani.
It was released to coincide with Dussehra, a symbolically appropriate occasion given the character of Ravana and his central significance to the Ramayana.
Fans were largely enthusiastic about Yash’s physical performance and the Tandav choreography.
Many have described it as visually powerful and entirely befitting the character.
However, the audience had expected something far more explosive from the musical composition itself.
Several viewers took to social media to express their frustration, with some going so far as to call Rahman a poor choice for the film.
One comment read: “AR Rahman is a bad choice for the movie.”
Another wrote: “Absolutely mid music from Rahman. Choosing him was a mistake for this movie.”
A third comment said: “Namit, it’s not too late.
“I hope they change him in part 2, man; I was waiting for a banger.”
Another social media user suggested: “Replace Rahman with Ajay-Atul in sequel, they would kill it for sure.”
One more comment cut straight to the point: “AR is past his prime.
“I knew taking Rahman was risky, but boy is this disappointing.”
The criticism is notable given that AR Rahman remains one of the most celebrated and decorated composers in the entire history of Indian cinema.
His Academy Award-winning work on Slumdog Millionaire and iconic scores across decades of Hindi and Tamil cinema represent a legacy that very few composers can claim to rival.
‘Jai Jai Ram’, the first song released from Ramayana, received a significantly more positive reception from audiences.
Ramayana: Part One is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman alongside Yash’s Ravana.
The film is scheduled for a worldwide Diwali 2026 release, with the second part expected to follow in 2027.
