Rashmika Mandanna claims voting was 'rigged' as Kriti Sanon's Cocktail 2 song wins
Synopsis
Rashmika Mandanna publicly called out the fan vote at a Cocktail 2 listening event as 'rigged' after her song 'Tujhko' lost to Kriti Sanon's 'Mashooqa' — and Kriti hit back with a 'sour grapes' jab. Then Rashmika 'accidentally' leaked a glimpse of Tujhko. It's Bollywood promo season, and this beef is very much on script.
Key Takeaways
Rashmika Mandanna claimed the fan vote at a Cocktail 2 listening event on Sunday was 'rigged' after her song 'Tujhko' lost to Kriti Sanon 's 'Mashooqa' .
Rashmika argued that media attendees were too busy working to vote, a point she says the media confirmed themselves.
Kriti Sanon responded on Instagram Stories with a 'sour grapes' reference — 'Mashooqa loves ripe mangoes and not sour grapes…IYKYK.' Rashmika subsequently posted a brief 'accidental' glimpse of 'Tujhko' , captioned simply 'Oops.' 'Mashooqa' is scored by Pritam , with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya and Italian portions written and performed by Mahmood .
Cocktail 2 , directed by Homi Adajania , is set to release on 19 June .
Rashmika Mandanna has stirred up a playful social media spat with co-star Kriti Sanon over a fan vote for the next song release from their upcoming film Cocktail 2, claiming the contest was 'rigged' after her track lost out to Kriti's. The exchange, played out on Instagram Stories, has quickly caught the attention of fans ahead of the film's release.
How the Rivalry Began
The drama unfolded following an exclusive listening event held on Sunday for media and fans, where the makers of Cocktail 2 unveiled two unreleased tracks — 'Mashooqa', featuring Kriti Sanon and Shahid Kapoor, and 'Tujhko', featuring Rashmika and Shahid. Attendees were asked to vote for which song they wanted released first, and 'Mashooqa' emerged victorious by a narrow margin.
This came just after the film's first track, 'Jab Talak', had already made waves, building anticipation for subsequent releases.
Rashmika's Rigging Claim
Rashmika, who plays the character Diya in the film, took to her Instagram Stories to register her protest — albeit with a light touch. She wrote: 'See guys, I looooove Mashooqa from #Cocktail2 but I think the voting was rigged at the event last night! The media boys and girls were too busy working, so they couldn't vote.. (they kinda told us this themselves!! So just FYI, Diya is really really curious to know your vote! So when the song Tujhko releases - WHENEVER that may be.. you'll tell us, no?'
Her argument: a significant portion of media attendees were occupied with their professional duties during the vote and were therefore unable to cast their ballots — a point she says the media personnel themselves confirmed.
Kriti Sanon Fires Back
Kriti did not let the jibe go unanswered. In a pointed Instagram Story of her own, she wrote: 'Mashooqa loves ripe mangoes and not sour grapes…IYKYK.' The thinly veiled dig — invoking the classic 'sour grapes' idiom — was widely read as a direct, if humorous, response to Rashmika's complaint.
The exchange, while clearly tongue-in-cheek, reflects the kind of promotional banter that has become a staple of Bollywood film marketing on social media.
Rashmika 'Accidentally' Leaks Tujhko
In what appeared to be a cheeky retaliation, Rashmika subsequently posted a brief glimpse of her song 'Tujhko' on social media, captioning the clip simply with 'Oops.' The move was widely interpreted as a deliberate tease designed to build curiosity around her track ahead of its official release.
About the Songs and Cocktail 2
'Mashooqa' has been scored by Pritam, with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya. The track has been sung by Raghav Chaitanya and Mahmood, along with Ruaa Kayy. Notably, the Italian portions of the song have been written, co-composed, and performed by Mahmood himself.
Directed by Homi Adajania, Cocktail 2 is scheduled to hit cinema halls on 19 June. With the social media sparring between its two leads already generating buzz, the film's promotional campaign appears to be building momentum effectively ahead of its release.
Point of View
And effective theatre at that. Bollywood has long used cast chemistry, real or manufactured, to drive pre-release conversation. What's notable here is the platform: Instagram Stories, designed to disappear, creates just enough deniability to keep the banter feeling candid. The real winner is Cocktail 2's marketing team, which now has two songs trending without a single paid placement.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Rashmika Mandanna say the Cocktail 2 vote was rigged?
Rashmika claimed the fan vote at a Cocktail 2 listening event was rigged because media attendees were too busy working to cast their votes, resulting in her song 'Tujhko' losing to Kriti Sanon's 'Mashooqa.' She made the claim on her Instagram Stories, saying the media personnel had confirmed this themselves.
What was Kriti Sanon's response to Rashmika's rigging claim?
Kriti Sanon responded with a pointed Instagram Story that read: 'Mashooqa loves ripe mangoes and not sour grapes…IYKYK.' The post was widely interpreted as a direct, humorous dig at Rashmika's complaint.
What are the two songs from Cocktail 2 at the centre of the controversy?
The two songs are 'Mashooqa', featuring Kriti Sanon and Shahid Kapoor, and 'Tujhko', featuring Rashmika Mandanna and Shahid Kapoor. Both were unveiled at an exclusive listening event, where attendees voted for which track should be released first.
Who made the song Mashooqa from Cocktail 2?
'Mashooqa' was scored by Pritam, with lyrics written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. It was sung by Raghav Chaitanya and Mahmood, along with Ruaa Kayy. The Italian portions were written, co-composed, and performed by Mahmood.
When does Cocktail 2 release in cinemas?
Cocktail 2, directed by Homi Adajania, is scheduled to release in cinema halls on 19 June. The film stars Kriti Sanon, Rashmika Mandanna, and Shahid Kapoor.
