Amaal Mallik on remixes: ‘Do it as a tribute to the original creators, give them due credit’

Music composer and singer Amaal Mallik is all set to recreate the popular 3 Idiots song Give Me Some Sunshine and says it is even more relevant today. He will be seen recreating the original Shantanu Moitra number on MX Player music reality show, Times of Music.

Amaal has recreated a few classics before, such as Harrdy Sandhu’s Soch Na Sake and Tumhe Aapna Banane for Hate Story 3.

However, the singer believes the volume of remixes should be lesser than the originals being created every year. Talking to Hindustan Times in an interview, Amaal said, “I am not saying that remixes aren’t good, it’s the volume I am talking about. It’s a good way if you do it as a tribute to the original musician or composer by giving them due credit. The listeners of that era are connected to a song’s lyrics or other things, that connectivity should be maintained. It should be done respectfully by giving and taking due credit and the original shouldn’t be spoilt. If I am to recreate a song, I will do it only if I can do it without spoiling the connection. It can be done by giving due credit to the original creator.”

 Watch: Amaal Mallik interview here

Amaal stresses on the need for maintaining a healthy ratio between the originals and the remixes. “If 200 songs are coming every year, there should be a ratio that at least 150-180 songs should be original. These days there are 4-5 recreated songs in a film. I do not have a problem with remixes but original songs are not being included in an album, this is sad. The trend is on a decline and will be there for around one or one-and-a-half years.”

He adds, “I will never do 20 remixes with no original in a year. There is a video where a naval officer is crooning the lyrics of Soch Na Sake, made by me and Armaan Malik. It means he connected with the recreation and wasn’t disappointed. If I can do something that doesn’t lower the respect earned by the original, then only I do it. If I spoil a song during recreation -- I join my hands and say, ‘Sir, I can’t do it, you can give it to someone else.”

Ask Amaal about keeping the lead actors involved while composing film music, and he said that it depends on the project. “I had sittings with Akshay Kumar during Airlift. People who are passionate about music get involved in the making of the songs. I used to have a good interaction with him. The only thing was that the sittings used to happen at 5 am, the voice doesn’t open so early, it used to be a bit difficult (smiles).”

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Amaal also worked closely with Ajay Devgn during the making of the De De Pyaar De song Chale Aana. The actor wanted Amaal to create a song with a ‘90s vibe. The music composer also collaborated with Tiger Shroff on Sab Tera, Zindagi Aa Raha Hoon Main and Chal Wahan Jaate Hain.

Ask him about the rendition closest to his heart and he cannot get over Main Rahu Ya Na Rahu, the single picturised on Emraan Hashmi. The song was a tribute to his grandfather, the late music composer Sardar Malik. “It’s like a message to my fans whether I am there or not, keep listening to my music,” he signed off.

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