Since the last few years, many Indian filmmakers had started banking on popular international musicians for the success of their films’ soundtracks. We decode the reason...
Akon sang Chammak Challo in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Ra.One (2011)
It's believed that music bridges the gaps between countries. This holds true for several years of cultural exchange between India and Pakistan. A few years ago, many Indian filmmakers had started banking on popular international musicians for the success of their films’ soundtracks. While Thai pop sensation Tata Young sang Dhoom Machale for Dhoom (2004), American R&B singer-songwriter Akon sang Chammak Challo in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Ra.One (2011). Also, Snoop Dogg donned Indian attire and did bhangra with Akshay Kumar in Singh Is Kinng (2008). The rapper grooved to the tunes of the title song of the film. But there was a lull in the trend for a while. Now, it seems to be making a comeback. Several international artistes have started embarking towards Bollywood again.
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Dwayne Bravo will render a track in Tum Bin 2
New voyage
Akon has come on board for a track in Tum Bin 2, alongside Pakistani singer Atif Aslam. The makers of the movie have also signed West Indies cricketer Dwayne Bravo, aka DJ Bravo, for a song. This marks the cricketer-musician’s Bollywood playback debut. There’s also buzz around UK-based popular teen band, The Vamps, who are part of Ajay Devgn’s upcoming film Shivaay’s soundtrack. The band also did a music video, Beliya, with composer duo Vishal-Shekhar recently. While Pakistani singers Ghulam Ali, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam and Ali Zafar have been part of Bollywood’s music space for a long time, the latest entrant from across the border is singer Quratulain Balouch.
She has made an impression with her powerful rendition of the song Kaari Kaari from Pink.
Quratulain Balouch sang in Pink
Strong connect
Anubhav Sinha, the producer-director of Tum Bin 2, says he shares a great bond with Akon ever since they worked together on Ra.One. Explaining why he decided to get Akon and Bravo on board, the filmmaker says, “Akon has a huge fan base in India. And Dwayne’s single, Champion, got close to 25 million hits. Collaborating with artistes of that stature makes sense, because they are 75 per cent Indian at heart, owing to their existing bond with the place that has a lot of their fans.”
Ajay Devgn, the producer-director of Shivaay reveals that he was clueless who The Vamps were. “But my daughter jumped when she heard their name. She told me they are massive. That’s when we decided to have them on board,” says the actor-filmmaker.
The Vamps are part of Ajay Devgn’s film Shivaay’s soundtrack
Worth spending on
Though getting international artistes on board can burn a hole in filmmakers’ pocket, they are still preferred, as they help generate buzz around new movies. “International artistes are expensive. However, attaching an international name to a film’s soundtrack attracts global audience. It helps in the pre-publicity for a movie. Today, with films being a competitive business and every movie vying for the audience’s attention, one off associations gives a film high recall value,” explains Sinha, adding that such associations also help bridge cross-cultural synergies.
Devgn doesn’t feel getting international musicians on board is expensive. “Though it’s a time-consuming affair, when you look at it, you realise that the entertainment world is shrinking. Besides it’s never a matter of pricing. It’s more about how the energies align to create great content,” he says.
Ajay Devgn, who shot for Shivaay in Bulgaria, was keen to add international flavour to the film’s music
Filmmakers feel having international musicians adds value to their projects. “Today, every film requires good music to sustain itself in the market. Anything 'foreign' excites the masses, which, in turn, boosts the musical score of the film,” says Sinha.
Ajay adds the trend adds 'immense value' to the project. “Today’s generation, whether in Mumbai or Varanasi or anywhere in the world, is a global generation. They can’t get enough of new content. So, such collaborations work.”
No insecurity
But are Indian singers welcoming of the trend? Singer Rekha Bhardwaj loves the fact that more and more international singers are singing for Bollywood. “I feel it’s great. If a film song has rap, and if a filmmaker can get one of world’s best rappers for the track, then why not? There’s no question of being insecure, as every singer is special in his or her own right,” she says.
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