Anirudh's Jailer 2 Album Draws Mixed Response Ahead of October 15 Release

Anirudh Ravichander's soundtrack for Rajinikanth's Jailer 2 has drawn a divided reaction from listeners. A handful of tracks have found an audience, but the album as a whole has not landed the way fans hoped. Expectations around the sequel were always going to be huge, and it reaches theatres on October 15.

The comparison is hard to escape because Anirudh also composed the music for the first Jailer. In effect, he is now up against his own earlier work. Hukum, the mass number from the original, built strong buzz before that film even opened and became closely tied to Rajinikanth's character on screen. So far, nothing on the new album has matched that kind of impact.

Reports say the makers released the full 12-track jukebox on October 2 and chose to skip a traditional audio launch. The tracklist reportedly includes Ala Bolelo, One Sun One Moon, Netru Ponavai, Veramaari, Bindaas, One Name, Dil Haareya and Hukum Reloaded. One Name is said to follow the mass anthem formula, while Bindaas is reportedly a dance number featuring Nora Fatehi.

Ala Bolelo has reportedly faced criticism over how its Malayalam words are pronounced, with some listeners unhappy about the execution. Even so, the song is said to have sparked plenty of conversation on social media after its release. Some reports have gone further and called the album Anirudh's weakest work for Rajinikanth.

The composer reportedly won over Telugu audiences recently with his music for The Paradise, which makes the lukewarm reception here stand out. With release day close, attention now moves to the trailer and the promotional campaign. His background score will be watched closely, since his music was one of the things that lifted the first film. Jailer 2 is reportedly directed by Nelson and produced by Sun Pictures.