E-Paper
Yaari hai too costly for Zanjeer remake
An insider reveals that HMV laid down bizarre conditions: the producers of the remake would either have to shell out Rs 40 lakh for just one track, or give Sa Ra Ga Ma rights to the entire soundtrack of the new film (the remake’s soundtrack is to be released by T-Series). The makers did not agree to either.
One of the things synonymous with the 1973 super hit, Zanjeer, is the qawwali song Yaari hai imaan mera sung by Manna Dey. Unfortunately, even as Tollywood actor Ram Charan Teja reprises Amitabh Bachchan’s famous angry young man in director Apoorva Lakhia’s remake, the iconic song will be missing.
The makers wanted to reprise the song, but failed to acquire the rights from the music label HMV (now known as Sa Re Ga Ma). An insider reveals that the music label laid down bizarre conditions: the producers of the remake would either have to shell out Rs 40 lakh for just one track, or give Sa Ra Ga Ma rights to the entire soundtrack of the new film (the remake’s soundtrack is to be released by T-Series). The makers did not agree to either.
When contacted, director Apoorva Lakhia says, “HMV has the rights and the price they are quoting is very high. We couldn’t afford it.” The remake features Sanjay Dutt as Sher Khan (Pran’s character), the character on whom the qawwali number is picturised in the original. The remake will now have to feature a different number. “Bhusan Kumar (head of T-Series) has already selected a new qawwali song. We haven’t decided on a music director yet,” says Lakhia. The music for the original film was composed by Kalyanji-Anandji.
The remake of Zanjeer, also starring Priyanka Chopra, is set to hit theatres on May 10.
Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
