The promotional campaign for Cocktail 2 has suddenly become noisier than expected. What began as a routine song launch has now spiralled into a full-fledged online spectacle involving “rigged voting” claims, cryptic Instagram digs, accidental leaks, and plagiarism accusations surrounding one of the film’s tracks.

At the centre of the chatter are Rashmika Mandanna and Kriti Sanon, whose social media exchange has left fans wondering whether the tension is genuine or simply an elaborate publicity strategy designed to keep the film in headlines.

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How The ‘Rigged Voting’ Drama Started

Following the success of “Jab Talak”, the makers unveiled the second song from the film, “Mashooqa”, featuring Kriti Sanon and Shahid Kapoor. Before the official release, the team reportedly hosted an exclusive listening event for media personnel and fans, where two unreleased songs were played — “Mashooqa” and “Tujhko”, which stars Rashmika alongside Shahid Kapoor.

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Attendees were then asked to vote for the track they wanted released first. “Mashooqa” narrowly emerged as the winner. Soon after, Rashmika appeared to question the fairness of the voting process.

The ‘Animal’ actress wrote on her Instagram Stories, “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?” (sic)

Her statement quickly sparked debate online, with fans divided over whether the comment was serious or simply playful promotion.

Kriti’s Cryptic Response Goes Viral

The online drama escalated further when Kriti seemingly reacted to Rashmika’s post with a sly remark of her own. Taking to Instagram Stories, the actress wrote, “Mashooqa loves ripe mangoes and not sour grapes…IYKYK.” (sic)

The post immediately caught the attention of social media users, many of whom interpreted it as a direct dig at Rashmika. The buzz intensified even more after Rashmika seemingly ‘accidentally’ leaked a glimpse of “Tujhko” online with a brief caption that read, “Oops”.

The carefully timed sequence of events kept fans glued to updates surrounding the film and triggered widespread discussion across X, Instagram, and Reddit.

PR Strategy Or Genuine Tension?

As the back-and-forth gained traction online, many netizens began speculating that the entire episode could be a planned PR exercise. Bollywood promotions have evolved significantly over the years, with film campaigns increasingly relying on viral moments, social media banter, and fan-driven engagement to sustain momentum before release.

Industry watchers have often pointed out how “accidental leaks”, playful celebrity rivalries, and cryptic posts are now commonly used to generate organic online conversation. Several users online believe the “rigged voting” controversy may have been strategically designed to create curiosity around Rashmika’s unreleased song “Tujhko” while simultaneously boosting attention for “Mashooqa”.

New tea on bollywood catfight between Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandhana ☕

During the song launch event for Rashmika and Kriti, there was a slight passive aggressive energy between them.

Rashmika: “I’ve done some seven films with Maddock, this is my eighth. I don’t think they… pic.twitter.com/vWThnq9Li7

— Chota Don (@choga_don) May 21, 2026

Fans also noted how each development arrived almost in phases — first the voting controversy, then Kriti’s “sour grapes” comment, followed by Rashmika’s leaked teaser — ensuring the film remained a constant topic of discussion for days.

Neither actress has clarified whether the exchange was genuine or promotional, but the strategy, intentional or not, has undeniably worked in keeping Cocktail 2 firmly in the spotlight.

Pritam Breaks Silence On ‘Mashooqa’ Plagiarism Claims

While the actresses’ social media drama dominated conversations, the music itself also found itself under scrutiny. Shortly after “Mashooqa” was released, a section of listeners compared its tune to “Se So Arrubate A Nonna” by Italian duo Bibi & Coco. Social media users soon began circulating side-by-side comparisons online, sparking plagiarism allegations against the track.

The song has been composed by Pritam, with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya. Vocals have been provided by Raghav Chaitanya, Mahmood, and Ruaa Kayy, while Mahmood also contributed to the Italian sections of the number.

Addressing the growing criticism, Pritam posted a sharp response on Instagram Stories late Wednesday night.

The composer wrote, “Every single one of my song releases comes with a set of self-appointed music detectives, who have created a new genre called ‘imaginary similarities’. Same people, same ‘inspired by’ thesis. Boss, at this point, you are my unpaid PR team. I just want to say, guys, NOT NICE.” (sic)

Pritam further clarified that every tune and lyric in the song was completely original.

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Cocktail 2 Gears Up For Release

Directed by Homi Adajania, Cocktail 2 is slated to hit theatres on June 19. Whether the viral feud between Rashmika Mandanna and Kriti Sanon is authentic or carefully orchestrated, the film’s promotional campaign has certainly succeeded in one department — keeping audiences talking non-stop.