06 January,2026 07:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur
The first time Adivi Sesh heard Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast from Mohra (1994), he was still in school, rehearsing for a dance medley. The cult favourite number starring Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tandon swept away an entire generation, and the actor-writer was no exception. Now, he is revisiting the 1990s by incorporating the iconic song into his upcoming film Dacoit, also starring Mrunal Thakur.
Sesh, who has co-written the film with director Shaneil Deo, says the decision to include the track stemmed from a desire to evoke an emotional callback to that sense of excitement and familiarity. "Some songs stay with you forever, and Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast is one of those songs for me," he tells mid-day. He adds, "Growing up, the track was everywhere, and I loved it. It was part of the first dance performance I ever did on a school stage, and that moment is still vivid in my memory. When we were working on the film, I felt an instinctive pull to bring this song in - not as a gimmick, but as a feeling. Using it in the film was my way of tipping my hat to my younger version who fell in love with music, performance, and the joy of entertaining people." Before weaving the song into the film's soundscape, Sesh formally bought the rights because "it mattered to me that this homage was done the right way". "It's a small, personal memory woven into a much larger film," he shares.
âTu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast' was first recreated and reimagined in Mustafa Burmawalla and Kiara Advani's âMachine' (2017)
