Atrangi Re

Atrangi Re is the original motion picture soundtrack for the 2021 Bollywood film of the same name, directed by Aanand L. Rai and released on Disney+ Hotstar on December 24, 2021. The score was composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics by Irshad Kamil, marking a continuation of one of Hindi cinema's most celebrated creative partnerships.^[1]

The film stars Sara Ali Khan, Dhanush, and Akshay Kumar in a magical-realist story blending two timelines and two love stories, one of which is later revealed to be a hallucination rooted in childhood trauma. Rahman designed the album to track the emotional and geographic arc of the narrative, drawing on folk, classical Hindustani, and contemporary pop textures as the story shifts between Bihar and Rajasthan.^[2]

The album was unveiled at an exclusive live concert in Mumbai on December 8, 2021, attended by the film's cast and the broader creative team. Rahman spoke of the collaborative process with Rai and Kamil, noting that roughly five songs emerged from a single intensive farm session where the trio gathered away from the city.^[3]

The seven-track album draws on contributions from the Chennai and Sunshine orchestras, with traditional instruments including sarod, flute, and tabla woven alongside contemporary production. It received strong critical reception: NewsBytesApp called it "heart-touching," Music Aloud awarded it 4 out of 5, and The Financial Express described it as "pure gold." The soundtrack earned Rahman three wins at the 22nd IIFA Awards including Best Music Director, and six nominations at the 67th Filmfare Awards.^[2]