This story is from August 28, 2007

Rakhi rocks no more

TNN / Aug 28, 2007, 00:00 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Well, it's sad but true... Bollywood just seems to have done away with songs on Raksha Bandhan.

doweshowbellyad=0;

No songs on Raksha Bandhan (TOI Photo)No songs on Raksha Bandhan.Behna ne bhai ki kalai pe, Phoolon ka taron ka, Mere bhaiya mere chanda... well these are a few songs which immediately come to one's mind with the mere mention of Raksha Bandhan. Of late too Bollywood has come up with movies on brother-sister relationship like My Brother Nikhil , Hum Saath Saath Hain, Apne, etc but what's missing are the songs on this bond. Is it that the portrayal of this relationship is not that strong or the brother-sister songs click no more with the audiences? On the occasion of this Rakshan Bandhan, TOI finds out what is stopping the filmmakers, music directors and lyricists from introducing such numbers.
Ace lyricist Faiz Anwar opines, "It is very depressing that Bollywood has stopped churning out numbers on such a beautiful relationship . It is primarily the script which decides the type of song that has to go with it. Nowadays scripts on strong brother-sister relationships are just not written. Besides, music directors or lyricists have virtually no say in this matter. Earlier, films were made to convey a certain message to the society. But now directors make movies which can earn profit within a week of the release."
But doesn't Bollywood come up with good numbers each year on Holi, Baisakhi, Diwali, Eid, Independence Day and other festive occasions? To this Anwar says, "Actually these festivals are normally woven around the hero and heroine of the movie and such numbers go a long way in earning huge profits for the movie. The saddest part is that for a song on brothersister relationship, most of the directors say - Ye chalega nahi public mein (It won't click with the masses)."
Celebrated music director Aadesh Srivastava has the same opinion about these filmmakers whose sole motive is to make profits. "Bollywood has a very big responsibility in terms of creating an impact on people. Earlier, big banners used to come up with really good movies with suitable songs. I would not like to take names but today the big banners in the industry are the ones who are coming up with cheap subjects . So, how can we expect good songs on a pious relationship like that of a brother and sister? Today the actors pick the lyricists and music directors for the movies! In such circumstances , even if the music director feels that a certain scene demands melody and not Hip hop, he has no say in it," opines Aadesh. Director Anil Sharma who recently came up with a family movie Apne accepts that the portrayal of brothersister relationship in his movie was not strong enough. He says, "I would say that the portrayal of brother-sister relationship in Apne was a bit weak so naturally there was no space for such a song. But just like other relationships and themes, good movies and songs can be made on brother-sister relationship as well. It's just that it is not being tapped well."

Says Sidhartha Anand, Director of Tara Rum Pum, "In Tara Rum Pum, I have shown the importance of this relationship with scenes rather than songs. If I'd shown a six-year-old singing Bhaiya ne bhai ke kalai pe... it would have looked a little out of place."
Actress turned jewellery designer Neelam Kothari who played the role of a kid sister in Hum Saath Saath Hain says, "It is true that movies use the same Rakhsha Bandhan songs of 60s and 70s till date but if the directors add a good original song for brother and sister scenes, it will show that finer details of the movie have been taken care of." I would not like to take names but today the big banners in the industry are the ones who are coming up with cheap subjects. So how can we expect good songs on a pious relationship like that of a brother and sister?

End of Article