New Delhi: Kareena Kapoor-starrer 'Crew' recently unveiled their rendition of the classic track 'Choli Ke Peeche,' reintroducing the iconic vocals of Ila Arun, who originally sang the song. In a recent interview, Ila Arun shared that the music company failed to seek her permission or even inform her before releasing the new version. She disclosed that she was only notified about the recreation five minutes prior to its launch, leaving her feeling "dumbfounded" and deeming the process "ethically wrong."
Speaking to India Today, Ila Arun highlighted her amicable relationship with the music label Tips and stressed that although she might not have been able to refuse their request, she believed the approach taken was unethical. She said, "I would be in no position to refuse, but ethically, it’s wrong. If they had just spoken to me about it, it would have felt good.
She recounted being informed about the recreation mere minutes before its release, with the company seeking her blessing. Despite feeling stunned, she offered her blessings, unable to question their decision at the time.
“They called me five minutes before the launch of the song and asked my blessing. What else I could do, except give them my blessings? I was dumbfounded but couldn’t ask them why have you done this? So my reaction to the song is exactly what Alka Yagnik’s reaction is,” she told India Today.
While acknowledging the talents associated with the original song, including composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal, lyricist Anand Bakshi, and performers Madhuri Dixit and Neena Gupta, Ila Arun described the track as "iconic." She questioned the necessity of recreating such classics, suggesting that instead, young directors should focus on creating fresh, energetic compositions to appeal to newer audiences.
Ila Arun emphasised the importance of involving the original artists in such projects and advocated for compensating them if the new rendition garners any profits. She asserted, "In my opinion, if you want to recreate, you should work with the original artistes and keep them in the loop. And if you are making any profit, then they also should get compensation for it."
Despite the accolades she receives for her work, Ila Arun admitted to feeling shaken by the entire experience, emphasising her concerns about the lack of respect for the original artists' contributions in such recreations.
“The fact is that everyone is complimenting me that I am rocking, but am I not rocking, I am shaken up by this. Even the younger generation is calling me and telling me that my song has been recreated and Kareena Kapoor Khan is dancing to the number, but what can I do about that? I can only say I am dumbfounded,” she said.
Ila Arun’s song ‘Ghagra' is also a part of the film’s music album.