Dum maro dum: A pointless Bollywood controversy

Has Deepika Padukone really managed to outshine the legendary Zeenat Aman?

KARACHI:

On one hand it seems as though Bollywood is coming of age as it gets more high tech and innovative with films like Rajnikanth’s Robot and Shahrukh Khan’s Ra.One (although it looks just like Hancock). On the other hand, their controversies remain childish as with the recent hue and cry over Deepika Padukone being featured in the remix of the classic song “Dum Maro Dum” (also known as “Hare Krishna Hare Raam”).

The original “Dum Maro Dum” featured Zeenat Aman, and was part of the soundtrack of the 1971 film, Hare Rama Hare Krishna. The melody of the song was so catchy that it became an instant hit and gained cult status in the 70’s.

“Dum maaro dum, mit jaae gham, bolo subah sham, hare krishhnaa hare raam!”

As the lyrics explain, the song was all about getting high and enjoying life. In the video you see Zeenat Aman floating around with people in bell bottoms, smoking ganja and getting high.

The remix of the Bollywood classic however has taken everyone by storm. Thanks to numbers like “Sheila Ki Jawani” which earned Katrina Kaif much attention as an ‘item girl’, everyone, including Deepika, feels that they can do it too.

The honour of the remix goes to Pritam Malhotra, who since his debut has been trying to fill Anu Malik’s shoes as the king of copying music.

However, what is even more interesting is that the legendary Zeenat Aman felt offended as she wasn’t informed about who is attempting to fill her shoes.

In an article published in the Times of India, Zeenat said, “Frankly I was deeply disappointed by the re-mix. I haven’t seen it. But I did hear the song. And it just doesn’t sound right. In the original, there was a certain innocence in Asha Bhonsle’s voice, and also in the lyrics. What I’ve heard here just left me cold.”

Later on in another article in the same publication, it was revealed that Zeenat kept on  trying to get in touch with Deepika to clarify that she was misquoted as saying that she hated Deepika’s version of the song.

After the controversy of Jhando Balm and “Munni Badnaam” this is becoming the next big thing in Bollywood — another ridiculous controversy to create some hype for the upcoming film of the same name. At the end of the day, who cares what Zeenat Aman really thinks of the song?

Deepika certainly contributes the ‘eye-candy’ factor, but nothing more than that. For all those who are comparing the two songs, the answer is very simple. Zeenat just lip synched a very melodious song by RD Burman while Deepika, accompanied by Pritam, converted the classic song into an average ‘item number’. The lyrics of the newer version take you nowhere, the groove isn’t very catchy, and let’s face it, Deepika is no Malaika. And her performance isn’t a patch on Munni’s.

All in all, the “Dum Maro Dum” controversy is just another pointless debate that Bollywood has gotten into. The same thing happened with Singh is Kinng when some Sikhs accused Akshay Kumar of not having a proper Sikh beard in the film, and let’s not forget the dhobis who stood up and filed a petition against Amir Khan’s Dhobi Ghat claiming that it may hurt the feelings of dhobis after which Amir Khan apologised and added the title “Mumbai Diaries” to the film.

Gimmicks like the Deepika/Zeenat controversy are nothing new for Bollywood and they have always been used to create hype for the films, and boost box office receipts at the same time.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2011.