Song remakes: Musicians debate the ‘overkill’ question
The trend of remaking — some would say rehashing — an old or recently released hit song for a new Bollywood film is at its peak. Is it getting too much? Music composer Amaal Mallik definitely thinks so. Amaal himself has recreated songs such as Chull (for Kapoor & Sons, 2016; originally sung by Baadshah), Soch (Airlift, 2016; originally sung by Harrdy Sandhu) and, more recently, Maine Tujhko Dekha (Golmaal Again!!, 2017; from the 1997 film Ishq). But he took to Facebook last week and said that composers should be “more respectful” and creative when remaking an old classic (or even a recent release), and added that there was an “overkill” of remakes now.
“The entire idea is to pay tribute to the original and make the younger generation — they probably didn’t listen
Films such as Raid (above left) and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (below left) have remade songs, a trend that composer Amaal Mallik thinks is getting too much now
Creating a composition for a (song) remake is as challenging as a new composition. Because you are not ‘remixing’ the song; you are ‘recreating’ it. TANISHK BAGCHI COMPOSER
The entire idea is to pay tribute to the original (music)... There’s an overkill of remakes. I’ve refused quite a few this year. One shouldn’t do a song remake just because it’s a trend or it will make money. AMAAL MALLIK COMPOSERSINGER
to the original — hear the (remade) song,” says Amaal. “If I’m doing a remake, I want to make sure it’s so perfect that people who’ve heard the original feel nostalgic when they hear my version. And those who’re hearing it for the first time should feel that it’s a new contemporary song.”
Song remakes obviously work — out of the 10 highest grossing films of 2017, as many as five films had at least one track that was rehashed. Amaal is a bit fed up. “There’s an overkill of remakes. I’ve refused quite a few this year,” he says. “One shouldn’t do a song remake just because it’s a trend or it will make money.”
Amit Trivedi, composer for this year’s Pad Man and Secret Superstar (2017), says that a remade song could be the result of pressure from the producer or a composer’s own lack of talent. “I’d never do a remake. I’m confident about my original music,” he says.
Amaal’s uncle, veteran composer Anu Malik, who recreated his own songs, Oonchi Hai Building and Tan Tana Tan Tan Taara for Judwaa 2.0, agrees with Amaal’s views but feels the trend is a big “positive”, for the way it draws young listeners.
Composer Tanishk Bagchi, who has rehashed songs such as Humma Humma, Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast and recently Sanu Ek Pal Chain (from Raid), disagrees, saying, “Creating a composition for a remake is as challenging as a new composition. Because you are not ‘remixing’ it; you are ‘recreating’ it.”
Singer Jubin Nautiyal feels that the trend is only rising, as the masses “demand” this music. “And besides that, if it’s a trend, it only means that musicians should feel challenged enough to make their original compositions better,” he argues.