Ramayana song Judi Jodi sparks debate over Shreya Ghoshal vs Chinmayi Sripaada's versions as fans react to Ranbir Kapoor-Sai Pallavi's track

Composed by A.R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dr. Kumar Vishwas, the song is the latest glimpse into the film's musical world.

The makers of Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana: Rise of a Legend have released Judi Jodi, a song that takes viewers into the wedding of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita. Featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi, the track was released on Karwa Chauth, a festival that celebrates the bond between married couples. Composed by A.R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dr. Kumar Vishwas, the song is the latest glimpse into the film's musical world.

Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi's Ramayana song Judi Jodi celebrates Rama and Sita's wedding, sparks a vocal debate.

Judi Jodi celebrates Rama and Sita's wedding

The song captures the wedding celebrations of Rama and Sita, including the varmala ceremony. It has been released in five languages: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. Shreya Ghoshal has sung the Hindi version. Announcing the release on social media, the makers wrote, "Celebrate this Karwa Chauth with a love that is eternal and a bond that is divine. Judi Jodi, song out now".

Shreya Ghoshal and Chinmayi Sripaada's renditions compared

The Hindi version has also sparked a debate over Shreya Ghoshal's studio recording and Chinmayi Sripaada's live rendition. One user on X felt Chinmayi's performance carried more emotion, writing, “Shreya Ghoshal's Judi Jodi studio version despite being clear somehow lacks the soul and melancholy of Chinmayi Sripada 's live version even though it was unprepared. A testament to importance of texture and simplicity in certain compositions. #ARRahman.”

Others, however, felt Ghoshal's voice elevated the composition. Praising her performance, another listener wrote, “THERE YOU GO! Shreya Ghoshal just TRANSFORMED this middling composition. It doesn’t always work but she has this innate ability to infuse life into a song with the mere verve of her voice. She has pulled this off for mediocre tunes like Deewani Mastani & Ghoomar too. #Ramayana.”

Some listeners also welcomed the track as a highlight of the film's soundtrack so far. One X user wrote, “Judi Jodi is probably the first proper song from AR Rahman for Ramayana. Shreya Ghoshal and the Chorus are fantastic here. Finally something worth listening to.”

Meanwhile, several fans want the makers to release Chinmayi's version officially, too. One listener wrote, “I wish the makers officially release @Chinmayi version as well..it was as beautiful as this one.”

Chinmayi Sripaada performs at audio launch

Chinmayi performed the song after learning it at short notice, but her live rendition found appreciation among some listeners. She later clarified on social media that she had stepped in as a stand-in and credited Shreya as the original singer. She wrote on X, “Judi Jodi is beautifully sung originally by the Goat Shreya Ghoshal. I was a stand in and learned the song literally at the very last minute. I am grateful for the opportunity and to my Guru, Rahman Sir.”

A.R. Rahman on making Ramayana's music

Rahman has spoken about the amount of work that went into creating the soundtrack, explaining that the process of developing and refining the music left him with little time to follow online reactions. In an interview with Hindustan Times, he said, “We do so much work, filtration, ideation, and iteration that there's no energy left to look at feedback! We just put it out because it's been tried and tested so much. My son keeps telling me, 'This is what they said yesterday, now they're apologising...' I say fine, I've done my work sincerely and hope people celebrate it."

The composer has described Ramayana as the most ambitious project he has taken on. The soundtrack reportedly took around three and a half years to develop and brought him together with Hans Zimmer, a collaboration the two had discussed for more than a decade. He said, “If someone in New Zealand or Europe sees Hans Zimmer's name, they will watch. If they just see Indian names, they might think it's just another Indian movie, but they'll be curious to see what he has done collaborating on this. It's a great move by the producer.”

Ramayana: Part 1 gears up for its November release

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana: Part 1 stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. The film is produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations.

The two-part epic is scheduled to release worldwide on November 5, with the second instalment planned for Diwali 2027. The film will arrive in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam and will be screened in IMAX and other premium formats. Sony Pictures is handling international distribution outside India, while Dharma Productions will distribute the film in the Hindi-speaking market.