Has Bollywood music industry run out of ideas? For the longest time, it feels as though a significant percentage of songs released are remakes of iconic tracks from 10-20 years ago.
Muqabla, Dus Bahane 2.0 and Mere Angne Mein are just a few recent examples that show originality is becoming a rapidly declining resource in the Hindi music industry. And now, the recreation of AR Rahman’s iconic song Masakali is like the final assault on the lovers of original creations.
Rahman’s Masakali was an unabashed love-letter to old Delhi that depicted, both in the grandiose shots of the city and in the more intimate, its tiny gated streets, houses with old-style courtyards, and most importantly its vibrant crowd.
Several people’s hard work went into making that song what it is today. While Prasoon Joshi’s lyrics exhibited liveliness, soft romance, and hope with a dash of nostalgia, Rahman’s distorted rhythms and feel-good music enhanced every moment and allowed you to not only see, but also feel the emotions.
Together, the music and lyrics in Masakali, encapsulated the film that was Delhi 6. Not to mention, Mohit Chauhan’s breezy vocals and Sonam Kapoor’s scene-stealing thumkas, choreographed by Vaibhavi Merchant, perfectly captured the spirit of the song. On the other hand, Tanishk Bagchi’s Masakali 2.0, featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Tara Sutaria, is only cringe-worthy and fails to live up to the original in many ways, with netizens calling it “an utter disgrace” to Rahman’s composition.
