The last time I listened to a song in loop was in 2021 –Sri Lankan Singer Yohani Diloka De Silva’s — ‘Manike Mage Hithe’, I didn’t understand the lyrics, but enjoyed it thoroughly & across India the various renditions/regional adaptations & Instagram reels & YouTube videos kept me hooked to it!
Two weeks back the song ‘Rangi Saari’ from the latest Hindi Movie Jug Jugg Jeeyo got released picturised on Varun Dhawan & Kiara Advani on all Social Media platforms & it has garnered more than 3 Crores & counting views !
Those who are familiar with this song are aware it was released in 2020 April by Ghazal & Sufi Singer Kavita Seth(1970 born) & her son Kanishk Seth(1994 born).The song is based on the Hindustani Classical style of Thumri.It is perhaps the first time a mother & son collaborated for a romantic song & it became a rage during the lockdown. Also, Kavish Seth the IIT Mumbai Graduate brother of Kanish has created his own musical instrument called Noori-Noori consists of 14 strings and is shaped like a guitar, but with a wooden frame covered in goatskin to produce percussive sound like a Djembe. Unfortunately, Kavita’s husband K.K.Seth passed away in 2011 at the young age of 48 because of pancreatic cancer.
In 2014, Gulaab Gang, the Madhuri Dixit-Juhi Chawla starrer also had this song, but they had retained the original essence of the classical song. Add to this the trivia about this song is that it was sung by Madhuri Dixit herself & the initial lines were sung by her mother noted classical singer Snehalatha Dixit.
Its noteworthy that when mainstream Bollywood decides to recreate an old song/classical song/regional music into a mass appeal we end up getting a commercial blockbuster & love-appreciation comes across from all quarters. We may call it plagiarism but in today’s highly competitive music space—due credit, royalty & rights are acquired before its recreated/reproduced. The credit perhaps goes to the internet watch dogs—who ensure we all get to know the original source !
Some of the popular folk songs down the years which became a rage, thanks to Hindi movies are quite a few to chronicle but some of the immediate recall are the Nimbooda Nimbooda from Hum Dil Chuke Sanam (1999),Ghoomar from Padmavat (2018), Chhaap Tilak Sab Chheeni from Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) sung by Lata Mangeshkar & Asha Bhosle, is a Ghazal written and composed by Amir Khusro, a 14th-century Sufi mystic, Navrai Majhi from English Vinglish(2012),Bumroo from Mission Kashmir(2000) & many more… feel free to add to the list in the comments section!