Recreating classic melodies has been a recurring theme in Bollywood. Some like it and some don’t, and singer Mohit Chauhan falls in the latter category, especially when it comes to remaking songs of legendary playback singer Kishore Kumar. He shares that the only thought that comes to his mind, whenever he receives offers to recreate classics is — ‘Why should I do something, which already has such a high standard?’

“I have been asked to sing an iconic song sung by Kishore Kumar sahab more than a couple of times… I didn’t want to do that remake.” Probe him more and he shares, “You cannot compete with Kishore sahab. It is blasphemy. I don’t know if it (not taking up remake offers) has hurt my career. But I have turned down such requests. I grew up listening to him, learning from him. He was almost like a guru.”

His own song, Masakali from Delhi 6 (2009), had been recreated for Marjaavaan (2019). Ask him about the same and the singer replies, “I have heard it was not received well by people, which is not a good thing. I don’t want to put myself in a position like that.”

The 55-year-old, who has crooned numerous chartbusters such as Yeh Dooriyan (Love Aaj Kal, 2020), Sadda Haq (Rockstar, 2015) and Matargashti (Tamasha, 2015), adds that people remember the original versions too well. The singer elaborates, “Apart from my music, the music of the early and mid-2000s, if it’s a good quality song, you have it on your playlist. Even when travelling in a car when a Kishore Kumar song is played on the FM, I know the lyrics; I sing along. A good song always remains with you. So, there is no point in doing something which you don’t believe in.”