Tuesday 12 February 2013

Re-makes and Re-Takes: Sridevi songs re-jiged for the new age: Inferior reproductions of original compositions

Besides an unending list of highly acclaimed films and performances, what makes Sridevi the First Female Superstar of Hindi Cinema is a roll-call of iconic chart-busters that have a permanent place in the Bollywood Hall of Fame. 

These songs and dances are not only evergreen classics but acts that stand witness to the supreme entertainer that Sridevi is.

No wonder there's a sudden spurt of remaking and remixing some of her most famous numbers by film-makers now.

While it is practically impossible to recreate the magic Sridevi created on screen, which of these recent remakes of her songs did you enjoy the most? And the least?! 

HAWA HAWAI
Original: Mr India, 1987
Re-make: Shaitan, 2012

Every legend of Bollywood must have one definitive solo song that is remembered for ages. Sridevi was lucky to get more than one in films like Nagina, Chandni, Chaalbaaz and Lamhe. But when she shimmered down in a golden gown crooning 'Bijli girane main hoon ayi, Kehte hein mujhko Hawa Hawai' in the all-time hit Mr. India, you knew this was going to be historic. You also know why people said that the film should have been called Miss India. Hawa Hawai is vintage Sridevi with expressions and movements only she can do. (Watch the line 'Soorat hi maine aisi paai') The song was superbly remixed in club-house style with a deliciously raspy voice by Suman Sridhar in the dark drama Shaitan starring Kalki Koechlin in 2012. Sridevi and Kavita Krishnamoorthy must be surely proud!

CHANDNI O MERI CHANDNI  
Original: Chandni, 1989
Re-make: Char Din Ki Chandni 2012

All the greatest actresses of Hindi cinema have one thing in common. A classic title role film that entirely revolves around them and works on their charisma and star power alone. From Mother India to Madhumati and Seeta aur Geeta, we have Mili, Bobby and Umrao Jaan. Sridevi joined this elite list when Yash Chopra chose her and created Chandni, the most beautiful film an actress could have and made the name synonymous with her. Besides celebrating her legendary beauty, Chandni's music was a Platinum Hit with Sridevi lending her voice to the zany Title-Track that is still a phenomenon. Tusshar and Kulraj recreated the number with full gusto and energy making it an ode to not just Sridevi, Rishi Kapoor and the Swiss Alps but Jeetendra too.

NA JAANE KAHAN SE AAYI HAI  
Original: Chaalbaaz, 1989

Re-make: I, Me Aur Main, 2013

Sridevi's double-role act in Chaalbaaz ranks topmost among actresses in the Filmfare List of '80 Iconic Performances of Hindi Cinema' and won her the second Filmfare Best Actress Award (her first being for the Tamil film Meendum Kokila). The actress has rain dances aplenty but none that is loads of fun like this iconic slapstick track from Chaalbaaz that also got Saroj Khan her second Filmfare for Best Choreography. In 2012, Rani Mukerji paid a tribute to Sridevi by recreating this classic along with Sridevi's famous white raincoat and hat look in Aiyyaa but it is John Abraham who has come up with a smart gender-bender version of this song in his upcoming film with Chitrangada Singh and Prachi Desai crooning 'Kisike haath na aayega yeh ladka'.

NAINON MEIN SAPNA  
Original: Himmatwala, 1983

Re-make: Himmatwala 2013

The 1983 Himmatwala is one of the few films that defines the era of the Exciting Eighties in Bollywood. Over the top drama and in your eye costumes and dances heralded the invasion of Southern masala that continues till today. It was also Sridevi's first super-success that paved her way to become the longest running No.1 actress of Hindi Cinema. Her Amrapaali costumes and patented thumkas with Jeetendra in tow became a national rage. The song was an instant chart-buster and over the years has become a cult classic and a must-have on every dance reality show today. No wonder Sajid Khan claims to have seen the film some 40 times in the theater and has now remade it. The song is out and Ajay Devgan and Tamannah surely try their best to match up to the legendary pair.

There's also news that Priyanka Chopra is recreating another all time Sridevi classic 'Kaate Nahin Kat te' from Mr. India in an upcoming film. Until that comes out, which of these above remakes gets your vote?



From Pinkvilla
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1 comment:

  1. I have been and am so crazy about Sridevi that I won't even bother to look at the remakes. For me Sri is the one and only BEST and the ULTIMATE star and no one can come even near her performances. Full stop. And you won't find a crazy fan like me too. When I was in school, people would call me Chandni (They said I looked like her-but I don't know about that. All I know is that I was and am crazy about her.) :))

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