Rajinikanth’s ‘Jailer 2’ Song Promo ‘Ala Bolelo’ Sparks Backlash; Malayalam Speakers Fume Over Mispronunciatio
A promotional track titled 'Ala Bolelo' from Rajinikanth’s upcoming film 'Jailer 2' has sparked backlash online due to severe mispronunciations of Malayalam lyrics. Native Malayalam speakers and music fans criticized the makers for linguistic inaccuracies, urging the team to engage fluent singers and lyricists for cross-language songs
The makers of Rajinikanth’s upcoming film Jailer 2 have landed in a language controversy following the release of a promotional track from the movie. A 32-second teaser for the first single, titled "Ala Bolelo", was unveiled on Tuesday, but the song quickly drew sharp criticism from a section of Malayalam-speaking audiences who expressed disappointment over the mispronunciation of Malayalam words in the track. ‘Jailer 2’: Rajinikanth’s Upcoming Film Locks Historic INR 160 Crore OTT Deal Ahead of October 2026 Release – Report.
‘Jailer 2’ Song 'Ala Bolelo’ Promo Draws Backlash
The promotional video for "Ala Bolelo" showcases actor Shamna Kasim dancing in traditional Kerala kasavu attire, alongside a brief appearance by Rajinikanth. Composed by Anirudh Ravichander with lyrics penned by Arunraja Kamaraj, the track blends Tamil and Malayalam elements. Additional vocals for the track were provided by Niranjana Raman, Aparna Harikumar, and Deepthi Suresh.
Watch the Promo of ‘Ala Bolelo’:
Despite generating initial excitement for the film's music release, the clip stirred frustration among listeners in Kerala shortly after going live. Critics pointed out that key Malayalam words and specific phonetics were mispronounced, distorting the lyrics to the point of making them sound unrecognisable.
Reactions from Listeners
Social media users from Kerala voiced their discontent across multiple platforms, urging the filmmakers to show greater care when incorporating regional languages into main tracks. Several listeners highlighted the improper articulation of specific Malayalam consonant sounds, particularly variations of the letter "la."
One popular comment on X (formerly Twitter) requested that filmmakers avoid using Malayalam in songs or dialogue unless properly pronounced, stating that major linguistic errors feel jarring to native speakers. Other users suggested that the production team should have hired a lyricist and vocalists who are fluent in the language to ensure accuracy. Interestingly, several Tamil-speaking fans also backed the feedback, agreeing that authentic execution is essential when cross-cultural elements are featured in mainstream cinema.
Malayalam Fans React to ‘Ala Bolelo’
Dear Tamils,please don’t include Malayalam in your songs or dialogues unless it’s pronounced correctly. Mispronouncing words,especially the “la” sounds, can be really irritating to Malayalis and may feel disrespectful to our language. This is NOT Malayalam 😴#Jailer2 #AlaBolelo pic.twitter.com/hVmm35bama
— Ashwin Krishna E 🦁 (@chiyaanashwin) August 19, 2026
Another User Wrote
Hire a lyric writer and singer who knows malayalam 🤷♂️
— ᴀ s ᴡ ᴀ ɴ ᴛ ʜ ツ (@AswanthS_offl) August 20, 2026
More About ‘Jailer 2’
Jailer 2 is the direct sequel to director Nelson Dilipkumar’s 2023 blockbuster Jailer. Produced by Kalanithi Maran under the Sun Pictures banner, the action drama features Rajinikanth reprising his role as Tiger Muthuvel Pandian. The film's ensemble cast includes Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu, SJ Suryah, Mithun Chakraborty, Vidya Balan, and Suraj Venjaramoodu, with special appearances by Mohanlal, Shiva Rajkumar, and Jackie Shroff. Anirudh Ravichander and Kavya Maran To Tie the Knot in Greece on THIS Date?.
The full version of "Ala Bolelo" was slated for release on August 21, while Jailer 2 is scheduled to hit theatres worldwide on October 15, 2026.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2026 12:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
