Remixes seen as a marketing gimmick

Though popular with the young crowd, remixes don’t find favour with many musicians.

The last year unleashed a slew of remixes into Bolywood and 2019 looks no different. From ‘Aankh Mare’ and ‘Dilbar’ to ‘Chamma Chamma’ and ‘Urvashi’, 2018 saw close to 12 popular old songs being recreated in movies like ‘Simmba’ and ‘Fraud Saiyaan’. The recreated songs are often catchy and appeal to the young crowd, as well as pay a tribute to the classic olden melodies. The song has new though the original background score is retained.

Artistes like DJ and music composer Tanishk Bagchi and singer Neha Kakkar have become synonymous with this culture in the Bollywood music industry.

However, many artistes and musicians have often expressed their discomfort with this trend.

Vaibhav Singh Sengar, music director, says, “It is a good marketing strategy for filmmakers and keeps with the current trend. Remakes of classic songs fire up the same feelings of childhood.”

Having said that, no music director wants to work on songs of other musicians, he says. Though the trend is booming now, there will be a time when people will stop liking rehashed versions of classics, Vaibhav observes.

“Remakes of songs are like a dish with different garnishing. If you order the same dish over and over again, one tends to get bored of it,” he says, adding, “I don’t think the music industry lacks in talent, it is all about the demand. ‘Recreate’ is the buzz word in the industry at the moment.”

However, Vaibhav does agree that some remixed songs are beautiful to listen to; he admires the work done in songs like ‘Gazab Ka Hai Din’, from the movie ‘Dil Juunglee’ (the original song was from the movie ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’, which released in 1988).

Agreeing to the fact that reworked music has its own unique selling point and followership is DJ Sheizwood, known for remixes of ‘Parde Mein Rehne Do’ and ‘Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon’.

He says, “In the early 2000s, this trend dominated the pop industry and slowly found its way into Bollywood films. Because of its ability to be a sure-shot hit, filmmakers depend on remixes to add value to their movies.” This is perhaps the reason why movies like ‘Simmba’ was launched with the song ‘Aankh Maare’.

Even people who haven’t watched the movie know about it just through the song. “During the last few years, when the trend of remixing songs had slowed down a bit, the music scene was monotonous. Remixes are sometimes refreshing to listen to. But having said that, there is nothing as soothing as the original,” says DJ Sheizwood.

Saurabh Gupta, music director, says that the decision to incorporate a remix is the call of the director or producers.

“Working on an old song is not easy because artistes have to follow the hook line of a classic song while maintaining the essence of the work of a legend. Originals are more fun to work on,” he observes.

Of the recreated songs that he has heard, ‘Mere Rashke Kamar’ from the film ‘Baadshaho’ and ‘Aankh Maare’ from ‘Simmba’ remain his favourite.

“We will have to see more remixes before the trend changes. Still encouraging original music should be the musicians’ priority,” he feels. Though remixes are growing on many in the industry, songwriter Suraj Mani is not a fan of the culture. “It is a given that copies of great songs will always stay but only original music will take the industry forward. There will always be a market for remixes, and I agree that imitation is the best form of flattery. But there is a definite difference between creating new music and exploiting old music”, says Suraj.

“The audience is consuming what is sold to them and I doubt there is a customer demand that’s creating this. My guess is that it will be an unimaginative producer having his way,” he rues.

“The trend doesn’t anger me, but it doesn’t inspire me either, because I feel musicians should be more fearless and have the confidence in their own creations. People become fans of artists who they feel represent them. I am a fan of original artistes,” Suraj told Metrolife.

2018 was the year of remakes

- ‘Dilbar Dilbar’ from ‘Satyameva Jayate’

- ‘Dekhte Dekhte’ from ‘Batti Gul Meter Chalu’

- ‘Aankh Maarey’ in ‘Simmba’

- ‘Tere Bin Nahi Lagda Dil Mera Dholna’ in ‘Simmba’

- ‘Aashiq Banaya Aapne’ from ‘Hate Story 4’

- ‘Morni Banke’ in ‘Badhaai Ho’

- ‘Sanu Ek Pal Chain’ from ‘Raid’

- ‘Ek Do Teen’ from ‘Baaghi 2’

- ‘Gali Gali Mein Phirta Hai’ from ‘KGF’

- ‘Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai’ from ‘Fanney Khan’

- Urvashi Urvashi - a music video featuring Kiara Advani and Shahid Kapoor.