Okay, before you read any further, let me clarify that I fully agree that original Bollywood classics by R.D. Burman and Kishore Kumar are way better than their remixes. Hands down.
Also, thank you for actually opening the article and reading it instead of simply leaving a comment saying “LOL, looks like the admin has never heard the original ones” after merely looking at the headline.
Okay, now that we have that out of the way, let me begin by taking you on a trip down the memory lane.
Do you remember the names Bombay Vikings and Instant Karma?
Well, even if the band names don’t ring a bell, I bet you still remember grooving to their hit remix numbers.
Every class/college party at that time, used to be incomplete without the entire gathering collectively crooning to Woh Chali Woh Chali with Neeraj Shridhar…
And also rapping ‘No one’s so saaxy, in the whole galaaaxy!” from Kya Soorat Hai with him.
It was a time when Instant Karma came up with remixes like Bahon Mein Chali Aao and Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na The, which were not just great to listen to, but were also great to watch because the music videos were interesting stories themselves.
And not just these. There were gems like Roop Tera Mastana, Chorr Do Aanchal and Aaja Piya Tohe Pyaar Doon.
Now remember the time we were all hooked to Shefali Zariwala’s moves in Kaanta Laga? That used to be a party starter back then. It was not only a great party mix, but even watching the video and copying her moves was a fun thing to do.
Just think of DJ Suketu’s club version of Bin Tere Sanam or Tu Tu Hai Wahi remix.
Agreed, the videos weren’t exactly work of art, but they did exactly what a good remix should do i.e. introduce old classics to the younger generation without diluting the essence of the original one. The tune was new but these songs never disrespected the source material in their quest to sample them.
So much so that they aren’t overshadowed by their inspiration but stand out as individual pieces of music.
Same goes with the remixes of songs Keh Doon Tumhein and Nahin Nahin (starring Ayesha Takia) by DJ Aqeel, Kaliyon Ka Chaman by Harry Anand and Pardesiya Yeh Sach Hai Piya starring Rakhi Sawant.
All these songs added a hell lot of groove to the original ones without diminishing their individualities.
And of course, who can forget the animated remix of Bindu Re Bindu sung by Kunal Ganjawala?
Soon enough Bombay Vikings featuring Neeraj Shridhar jumped into the business and successfully remixed songs like Chhod Do Aanchal, Kya Surat Hai and Woh Chali Woh Chali.
And a generation that’d been on a steady diet of MTV and Channel V for quite some time now, gobbled it all. Simply because they were tailor made for that particular generation’s taste.
Which brings me to the question: What has happened to Bollywood remixes now? While we remember these gems from the 90s and early 2000s, how come there’s absolutely no recall value of any remixed song in recent times?
Take for example the remixed versions of Dum Maro Dum, Aapka Kya Hoga Janab-e-Ali a.k.a Dhanno from Housefull, Hamma Hamma from Ok Jaanu and Tamma Tamma Loge from the upcoming Badrinath Ki Dulhania.
Apart from the haphazardly placed club music, there’s nothing new in the songs.
A remixed song fails when you want to listen to the original one immediately after, just to wash off the taste.
Which is why I’d like to use the term ‘golden era’ in the context of Indian remixes. Considering the kind of remixes we’re churning out right now, looks like we did have a golden era back in the early 2000s. And we can have it once again as soon as we start treating them as individual art forms instead of mere ‘crowd-pullers.’
But till then, looks like we only have DJ Aqeel, DJ Suketu, Instant Karma and Bombay Vikings for company.