Rangabati is arguably the most popular recorded song in Odisha. Song, Singer and Music Composer received Padmasri award The song was first recorded for All India Radio in the mid-1970s. After its popularity, a record company from Kolkata (then Calcutta)- Indian Record Manufacturing Company Ltd (INRECO), recorded the song in 1976. The disc release was delayed because of some dispute and finally, it was released in 1978–79. The Sambalpuri song was written by Mitrabhanu Gauntia and composed by Pradip Patra and sung by Jitendra Haripal and Krishna Patel. In the 1970s and 1980s the song gained popularity for being played in marriage procession and murti immersion. The song got official recognition as it was played in the tableau of Odisha as part of the Republic Day (India) celebration in New Delhi in 2007. The chief singer Jitendra Haripal was felicitated by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik later that year. The song has also been used as the cheer song during an international cricket match in Barabati Stadium, Cuttack. "Rangabati" was recreated in many other languages of India and has been recreated in Telugu for a movie.
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In Popular Culture
Rangabati is popular in Odisha and most parts of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. This song is also going to be released in Chinese.
During the 7th World Water Forum at Daegu in South Korea, Korean dancers danced to the tune of the song. The song is featured in Bollywood movie Kaun Kitne Pani Mein directed by Nila Madhaba Panda. The song was remade by composer Ram Sampath featuring Sampath himself, and Sona Mohapatra and Rituraj Mohanty for MTV India's Coke Studio Season 4.
Copyright Controversy
Protests erupted on social media and in Western Odisha after the telecast of Rangabati remix on MTV coke studio on 5 July 2015 claiming that the television telecast of this song on Coke Studio did not attribute to the original composer Prabhudatta Pradhan nor did acquire permission from the copyright holder prior to its telecast. Earlier on the same day a legal notice with a damage claim of ten million Indian Rupees was sent through the Supreme Court of India to Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, Viacom18 Media, Sona Mohapatra, Ram Sampath and Rituraj Mohanty for copyright infringement. The petitioner also requested the court to stop the telecast of this remix song on MTV.