After makers of Helen’s classic get upset over Mungda remix, Total dhamaal director Indra Kumar says song was recreated to ‘pass on the gem to next generation’
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; February 8, 2019)

Bollywood continues to take the easy way out to ensure a chartbuster — rewind, rehash and repeat. In the latest example of recreating old ditties, the makers of Total Dhamaal revisited Helen’s classic, Mungda. Singer Usha Mangeshkar and composer Rajesh Roshan — who had created the number for Inkaar (1977) — were quick to outrage over the track that features Sonakshi Sinha and Ajay devgn. According to reports, the composer alleged that today’s filmmakers “have lost the confidence to create new songs”.

Total Dhamaal director Indra Kumar doesn’t challenge Roshan’s allegation. “Lack of originality and talent in music is an understatement,” he says, but goes on to add that the idea of revisiting the song was to introduce it to a younger audience. “The original song was made over 40 years ago. Today’s generation isn’t aware of it. My kids hadn’t heard the original till I made them listen to the new version, and they loved it. I admit we aren’t half as good as them, but we didn’t set out to achieve their level of brilliance. This is our way of paying homage. We don’t have the capacity or intention to compete with them.”

The director insists that he has simply jumped on the bandwagon of rehashing forgotten gems. “There is no harm in following trends. I may have fallen short, but I didn’t intend to hurt them at any point. This generation has been deprived of those beautiful songs. Our job is to pass on the gems to them.”

Lata Mangeshkar has often expressed her reservation about how makers do not take their approval before repackaging their classics. Ask Kumar if he had reached out to Roshan and Usha Mangeshkar, and the director brings out the ugly truth of the music industry. “We don’t have to take their consent. when Neend Churayi Meri was remade [for Golmaal Again; the original belonged to Kumar’s Ishq], no one came to me for approval. The rights belong to the music label, and they [owners of the label] have the right to do what they want to.”