MUMBAI: Singer Armaan Malik says there could not have been a better musical collaboration than AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer for "Ramayana", revealing how he completely surrendered himself in their vision while working alongside the celebrated composers.

The film, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, is helmed by Nitesh Tiwari of "Dangal" fame.

Oscar-winning composers Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman have collaborated on the film's score, while Malik has lent his voice to the Kannada track 'Managala Sangama', the wedding song picturised on Kapoor and Pallavi.

"With a legacy like 'Ramayana', there is naturally a massive wave of emotion and expectation attached to it... However, I believe there is absolutely no better duo than AR Rahman sir and Hans Zimmer to capture the musical DNA of 'Ramayana'.

"They have given it the exact larger than life cinematic glory that a project of this scale truly deserves," Malik told PTI in an interview, adding that he did not get an opportunity to interact directly with Zimmer.

The Hindi version of the Kannada song, titled 'Mangal Rang', faced criticism from netizens over its qawwali-style beats and Sufi-inspired musical arrangement.

However, Malik said he did not let the online criticism influence his work, placing complete trust in the creative vision of the celebrated composer duo.

“When collaborating with someone like Rahman sir, you just completely surrender to his musical vision. I went into the studio with absolute trust, rather than letting external opinions or internet debates weigh me down,” he said.

"You can never predict how the public will react, but you can control your own honesty and dedication to the art. The entire team poured their hearts into this, and I truly hope listeners feel that pure devotion in whichever language or version they choose to experience it in," the singer added.

Speaking about lending his voice to the cinematic adaptation of one of India's most popular epics, Malik said the role came with immense responsibility, as he had to balance love, devotion and divinity in his rendition.

“My entire focus was on internalising the ultimate grace, patience, and serenity that he represents. Instead of doing too much vocally, I consciously stripped everything back.

"Even when hitting the higher notes, the goal was never to sound overpowering, but to maintain a pure, grounded sense of peace. I wanted the devotion to feel completely authentic and free of any vocal pretense," he added.

Describing his association with the mega project as something he would cherish all his life, the 31-year-old singer revealed that he was initially unaware that he would be singing for "Ramayana" when he received a call from Rahman's team to record a Kannada song.

"I received a last minute call from Rahman sir's team to record a Kannada track, and at that point, I had absolutely no idea it was for 'Ramayana'.

"It was only during the recording session that I realised the magnitude of what I was singing for," he said, adding that singing in Kannada made the association even more meaningful, given the warmth and acceptance he has always received from the Kannada-speaking audience.

The singer, who has previously lent his voice to Kannada songs such as 'Sariyaagi', 'Ondu Malebillu', 'Naa Hege Helali' and 'Ninyaarele', said connecting with listeners through their language for a film of such historic significance was particularly special.

Malik, who first worked with Tiwari on 2011 family-comedy film, "Chillar Party", said to be reuniting with the acclaimed filmmaker on cinematic giant such as "Ramayana" feels incredibly special and a career milestone.

"I’ve always deeply admired Nitesh sir's storytelling and the absolute care he takes in bringing complex emotions to life on screen. To reunite on this specific canvas is a huge milestone for me," he said.

"Ramayana", which hit theatres on November 5, also stars Ravi Dubey, Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Sheeba Chaddha, Vivek Oberoi, Kajal Aggarwal, Kunal Kapoor and Adinath Kothare, among others.

The action-adventure saga is produced by Malhotra, CEO of the eight-time Academy Award-winning visual effects company DNEG, along with Yash's Monster Mind Creations.

The second part of the epic is scheduled to release in Diwali 2028.