Highlights
- A 32-second promo for Jailer 2 song Ala Bolelo was released ahead of the full song.
- The promo features Rajinikanth and Shamna Kasim, with Malayalam words appearing in the lyrics.
- Some Malayali viewers have criticised the pronunciation, with one calling it “really irritating”.
The anticipation around Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2 is already high, but a brief glimpse of one of the film’s songs has sparked an unexpected debate online.
The makers recently released a 32-second promo for Ala Bolelo, featuring Rajinikanth and Shamna Kasim. The full song is scheduled to be released on August 21. While the track includes several Malayalam words, some viewers have taken issue with how the language is pronounced in the promo.
One user criticised the makers for using Malayalam without getting the pronunciation right, writing, “This is NOT Malayalam.” The comment also pointed specifically to the pronunciation of certain “la” sounds, arguing that such mistakes can be irritating to Malayalis and may come across as disrespectful to the language.
Another viewer suggested that the makers should have hired a lyricist and singer familiar with Malayalam.
What is Ala Bolelo about?
The promo gives only a short glimpse of the song, but Shamna Kasim takes centre stage in a traditional kasavu saree as she dances to the track. Rajinikanth appears briefly towards the end of the promo.
The song has been composed by Anirudh Ravichander, while Arunraja Kamaraj has written the lyrics alongside Niranjana Raman, Aparna Harikumar and Deepthi Suresh.
The use of Malayalam appears to be part of the song’s broader regional flavour, but the pronunciation has become the main talking point following the promo's release.
Fans call out the language errors
The criticism has largely focused on pronunciation rather than the decision to include Malayalam itself.
One viewer directly addressed Tamil audiences, asking them not to include Malayalam in songs or dialogue unless the words are pronounced correctly. The user said that getting the distinct Malayalam sounds wrong can be particularly irritating to native speakers.
Another comment called for the makers to work with professionals who understand the language.
The reactions reflect a familiar issue in Indian cinema, where the inclusion of another regional language can attract attention when its words or pronunciation do not sound authentic to native speakers.
With the full Ala Bolelo song set to arrive on August 21, viewers will now be watching to see whether the complete track offers more context than the short promo.
