The first single from Vijay's Sarkar, Simtaangaran, composed by AR Rahman, was released on Monday. Unlike Mersal, the previous album of the actor and composer which was widely appreciated by the critics and audience, the new single has been heavily criticised by a certain section of the public, claiming that the tune and lyrics are underwhelming. 

When asked about it, Rahman says, “Criticism has become an integral part of my journey. In most cases, I can predict the audience reaction owing to my experience. At times, their criticism or praise surprises me. A song from a film is released only after directors, heroes, choreographers and producers listen to it and this helps me understand the response it gets from the audience.”

The complete album of Sarkar is expected to be released on October 2 at a private engineering college in the outskirts of Chennai. Also starring Keethy Suresh, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar and Yogi Babu, the film is scheduled for release on Diwali (November 6).