Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh and Javed Jaffrey starrer Total Dhamaal released today and the film has got some good reviews from the critics. However, even before the film released, it got embroiled in a controversy where its song Mungda which is a recreated version of the iconic song picturized on Helen from the film Inkar received a tremendous amount of backlash. The new version featured Sonakshi Sinha and Ajay. However, the song irked the original makers and veteran singers who lambasted the recreated version.
Composer Rajesh Roshan expressed his displeasure and so did sisters Usha Mangeshkar and Lata Mangeshkar who reacted strongly to the song saying that it is a result of “lack of originality” in the new-age composers. Now, Ajay has broken his silence over the backlash and has said that Lata Mangeshkar is a senior artist and has all the rights to voice her opinions. He even went as far as to say that the legendary singer can shout at them and even slap them to show her displeasure.
[caption id="attachment_200647" align="aligncenter" width="647"]
File photo of Ajay Devgn[/caption]
In a recent interview given to a leading daily, Ajay said, “Lataji is very senior. I think a lot of people recreate songs and they don’t think like this. So, if she has gotten upset about it, she can come and slap us also. She has got all the rights to do so. I mean, it’s a fact, she can shout at us also. We’re ready to apologize if she has felt bad about something.” He further added, “There is definitely a dearth of good music today. Being from a different generation, I still like that music more than today’s music. The current generation might not agree with my thoughts. The lyrics of the past era can never come back today. There is just no one today who can write good songs, barring two or three people. If we require a song with depth, it’s almost like searching such people with a begging bowl. I am not saying the current generation does not have emotions but the depths have now changed.”
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="647"]
Usha Mangeshkar, Rajesh Roshan and Lata Mangeshkar[/caption]
The original Mungda was composed by Rajesh Roshan and sung by Usha Mangeshkar. She had said earlier, “Our songs (the songs sung by the Mangeshkar sisters Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar) were created after a great deal of thought and they were done with sensitivity and care. To rip them off in this arbitrary manner is not correct.” Lata Mangeshkar further added, “We are not asked if we approve or not. No one seeks our consent before using our songs. Is that right?" On the other hand, Rajesh had told IANS, “Law is against us. Music companies are selling our songs to producers at throwaway prices. We are helpless. Indra Kumar has gone on record to say his version of Mungda in Total Dhamaal cannot be compared with the original.”
Total Dhamaal has been directed by Indra Kumar and also stars Sanjay Mishra, Boman Irani and others.
