'I Just Tried To Be Original': Amit Mishra On Reviving A R Rahman’s Iconic Song 'Latka'
The song, a chartbuster from the 1996 film ‘Hindustani’ featuring Kamal Haasan and Urmila Matondkar, has been rejuvenated with Amit's fresh vocals, staying true to Rahman's composition.
Bollywood Singer Amit Mishra has recently added his magical touch to the revamped version of the timeless track ‘Latka Dikha Diya Hamne,’ originally composed by AR Rahman. The song, a chartbuster from the 1996 film ‘Hindustani’ featuring Kamal Haasan and Urmila Matondkar, has been rejuvenated with Amit's fresh vocals, staying true to Rahman's composition. Amit has collaborated with singer Shilpa Surroch on ‘Latka’, the peppy dance number presented by Tips Music and it is gaining popularity on online streaming platforms.
“It was a wonderful experience and an honour to record the song, ‘Latka’ originally composed by AR Rahman. It is one of my favourite songs and a go-to on my playlist,” said Amit, who became a household name after singing ‘Bulleya’ in the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer ‘Aae Dil Hai Mushkil’. He also extended his gratitude to the Tips Music team for their exceptional production. The music video of ‘Latka’ features Zaara Yesmin and Siddharth Nigam, and Amit praised their performances.
Known for hits like ‘Sau Tarah Ke’ from Dishoom, ‘Manma Emotion Jaage’ from Dilwale, and ‘Bulleya’ from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Amit spoke highly of music maestro AR Rahman and how he tried to keep the energy of the song true to its original form in 'Latka'. "It's a fun and energetic song. AR Rahman's compositions have a party and fresh vibe. I just tried to be original. I hope the audience has a gala time dancing to Latka on New Year. That would be our biggest gift," said the Lucknow-born singer.
Talking about the trend of remaking old Hindi songs, Amit sees it as a positive way to introduce younger generations to timeless melodies. "It’s the melody which is powerful. Music is a time machine, and people love when somebody creates a remake of an evergreen old song. The recall values of these melodies are amazing,” he said.
Beyond Hindi, Amit, also a trained classical vocalist and songwriter, lent his voice to innumerable songs in Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, and indie singles. Expressing gratitude to his mentors, family, language coordinators, and his team, Amit said, "I am blessed to work with team members who give priority to music. I continue to learn each day.”
As the music industry grapples with the rise of AI-generated apps, the popular Bollywood singer remains steadfast in his belief that technology cannot replace the unique emotional expression and creativity brought by a singer. However, he has not ventured into AI in his work so far. “AI can simulate various sounds and styles, but it doesn't replace the unique emotional expression and creativity that a human singer brings to their performance,” said Amit, who is busy with live gigs, studio recordings and looks forward to an exciting lineup of projects in 2024.
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