Haldi or coronation? Ramayana's Ranbir scene leaves internet divided

A ritual shown in Mangal Rang, the new song from Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: The Rise of Legend, has divided social media users. The scene shows women applying haldi to Lord Rama as Maa Sita stands beside him, prompting viewers to debate whether it depicts a haldi ceremony or preparations for Rama’s coronation.The song was released on Sunday amid a separate controversy over its perceived qawwali and Sufi influences. Composed by AR Rahman, written by Kumar Vishwas and sung by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal, Mangal Rang celebrates the love and sacred union of Lord Rama and Maa Sita, played by Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi, respectively. Its video appears to depict their wedding and Sita’s arrival in Ayodhya. Some viewers questioned why Sita was present during what they believed was the groom’s haldi ceremony. One X user wrote, “Bollywood will never stop adding its own masala, even to the Ramayana. Since when did the bride sit and watch the groom’s haldi ceremony in traditional Hindu weddings? The groom has his haldi at his home, and the bride has hers at her own home in many Indian traditions. But Bollywood has to make everything cinematic, even if it means taking creative liberties with religious epics (sic).” Others said the sequence had been misunderstood. One user wrote, “This is for Ram Ji’s Rajyabhishek ceremony. I’m sure some dumb people will think, why is Sita Maa watching his haldi ceremony?” Another post connected the scene to preparations for Rama’s coronation and pointed to Sita’s costume. “This is literally from the preparation before the coronation of Shri Ram. Check out the costume of Sita in these two scenes; it’s the same. One is from the day before the coronation is about to take place. Another is from the same day when Kaikeyi asks for 14 years of exile, and Sita is requesting Ram to take her along with him (sic),” the user wrote.A third user questioned whether the discussion itself was based on a modern interpretation. “I don’t think haldi existed during the Ramayana period. People should stop viewing Ramayana through a modern lens (sic),” the post read.Musical influences spark another debateAlongside the discussion over the ritual, listeners debated the song’s musical influences. Some said they heard qawwali-style elements in its chorus and arrangement. They objected to what they perceived as the use of qawwali, a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing, in a film centred on Hindu gods and traditions.Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana: The Rise of Legend features Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Ravi Dubey, Yash, Sunny Deol, Rakul Preet Singh and Lara Dutta in key roles. The film is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on November 5, 2026.- Ends