Actress Sunny Leone sizzled in the video of the new version of "Laila ho Laila" from the 1980 film "Qurbani". Soon, actor-singer Meiyang Chang will be heard in another version of the popular song.
Last year, the former "India Idol" contestant sang recreated versions of classic songs "Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si" and "Saara zamana". In a few months, he will go behind the mike to sing the recreated version of another classic number.
"It's going to be more of a song cameo. 'Laila ho Laila'. I know there is a new version in the film 'Raees'. But it's just a coincidence. This (his version) is of Times Music. It is expected to release in the first quarter of the year," Meiyang told IANS over phone from Mumbai.
If one looks at the list of recreated songs, it is endless. And not all have been appreciated. For instance, music maestro A.R. Rahman's cult song "Humma humma", which was rearranged by composer Tanishk Bagchi for the forthcoming film "OK Jaanu", has received mixed response from music lovers.
"The original is fantastic. Remo Fernandes (the original singer) has done such a good job that for the next 20 to 30 years, nobody will be able to come close to it," said Meiyang.
"But that does not mean we shouldn't try to rework on some of the songs. It happens worldwide. I won't say that there is a dearth of original music or that it is a shortcut... Some really good reworked versions have come out," he added and praised new versions of "Har kisi ko" and "Ae zindagi gale laga le".
He agrees that since "every second film is doing many of them, it becomes a bit of overload", but he sees nothing wrong in doing it.
"Sometimes, really good versions come out. Sometimes, you get gems and sometimes trash," he said.
Is he working on an original number too?
"Originals take time, but will happen," he said.
As of now, he is tied up with web series "Untag" on Voot, a digital video-on-demand platform from the house of Viacom18. The series delves into the lives of regular people with seemingly harmless tags.
