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.”
