Apparently, in Bollywood, there seems to be a pitiable paucity of creativity as far as composing original film songs. Otherwise how does one justify, that in almost every fourth film, iconic retro songs are being rampantly ‘re-created’, ‘remixed’ or ‘revamped’ and smartly incorporated in today’s Hindi movies. Not that it helps every time, if the disappointing box-office fate of movies like ‘Machine’ ( which had two iconic yesteryear songs ‘recreated’) serves as an ideal example.
The trending buzz this week, is of upcoming movie ‘Baaghi-2’ starring Tiger Shroff and Disha Patani, where ravishing Sri Lankan beauty Jacqueline Fernandez has ‘dared’ to gyrate to a “tribute take-off” on the iconic ‘Ek Do Teen’ retro-song picturised on dancing diva Madhuri Dixit in the movie ‘Tezaab’ (1988).
While Jacqueline and film director Ahmed Khan both insist that they have taken blessings of actress Madhuri and also of choreographer Saroj Khan, who choreographed the original song, there has been a stream of protests and hate-comments, especially from die-hard Madhuri-fans and retro-music lovers and even ‘Tezaab’ director N.Chandra is believed to be badly miffed with the rip-off.
All by itself, the agile Jacqueline has definitely made her coquettish version an oomph-oozing belly-wriggling ‘crowd-puller’ item-song. But when compared to Madhuri’s relatively more-dignified attire and dancing, the one-upmanship is obvious. Meanwhile, Dixit’s legion of loyal fans can heave a partial sigh of relief because Jacqueline has ‘pre-empted’ the prickly ‘side-effects’ of what she has attempted. Says Madame Fernandez, “I know I would never be able to match up to iconic Madhuri Dixit. That’s not something that I’m even going to attempt.”