Generally, top folk songs in films were used to be voiced by Mangli. But these days, suddenly her voice is not being heard in mainstream and popular chartbusters.
For example, the latest superhit song, “Yashanagula Katta Meeda,” from The Paradise was not sung by her, but by Prabha Bangarigalla. The latest “Narayanamma” song from AK 47 was also sung by the same singer.
There are two reasons, as many observers suggest. One is that Mangli has a distinctive and popular voice, but her name became embroiled in a financial-scam controversy, which drew criticism from the public and may have led sections of the film industry to keep their distance.
Unless a singer maintains a controversy-free public image, their songs can face trolling from netizens and may struggle to gain wider acceptance. Industry is always keen in this aspect.
Even so, she has not been completely sidelined. Although she is no longer receiving film-song offers at the pace she once did, she was given an opportunity to sing the “Dhumathai” track in The Paradise. However, it was not a mass number that generated significant public attention.
Overall, this underlines how crucial public image can be for artistes. Once an artiste becomes associated with controversy, rebuilding industry patronage and securing opportunities can become considerably more difficult.
