Lata Mangeshkar and Javed Akhtar come together to fight remixes

When legendary Bollywood singer Lata Mangeshkar heard that someone had turned her divine hit 'Lag jaa gale se' into a remix, the disturbed singer had this to say, “Not because it was my song.  But because such  easy-and-quick methods of  popularity can never work. Bahot mehnat  karni padti hai kamyaabi ke liye (a lot of hard work goes into  being successful). Cover versions and  remixes are  quick but damaging methods  to become successful overnight. In the long run they serve no purpose.”

Javed Akhtar further elaborated on the idea, “What is really shocking about these remixes is  that they undermine and mock the  originals. I was shocked to hear cover versions of Lataji’s Lag ja gale se (from the film Woh Kaun Thi) and Rasme ulfat ko nibhayen (Dil Ki Raahen). These are classics beyond all classics. No one should even dream  of  let alone dare touching them."

"What Lataji has done  in these songs cannot be replicated. To see the songs  of  the all-time great singers and composers  being ruined is criminally heartbreaking. My own songs like Ek do teen (Tezaab) and Ghar se nikalte hi (Papa Kehte Hain) have very recently been tampered with and brutally refurbished. No one had  the courtesy to  even inform me about it. This must stop.”

The duo has decided to join forces in order to legally battle the monstrosity that are remixes. Javed Akhtar states, “I spoke to her and  explained what is being done. She  said she’s all for fighting the menace of creative vandalism. Her lawyer and my legal team are  now working out the  details. I intend  to  fight this nuisance  to its culmination. No  one  should have  the right to tamper with my  creative property. Tomorrow someone may say they want to build two extra rooms in the Taj Mahal. Every song of Lataji is no less than the Taj Mahal. Don’t mess with perfection.”