Singer Alisha Chinai on copy right issues in Indian music industry, Made In India, and more-Entertainment News , Firstpost
Raja Kumari is a very good rapper but I think this was a little out of her league and it really didn’t stand up to it, says singer Alisha Chinai.
Singer Raja Kumari has collaborated with Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit for ‘Made in India’, an interpolation of Queen of Indi-pop Alisha Chinai’s 1995 cult classic. The new version has been receiving positive responses from viewers with some questioning why this was needed.
Alisha, who was called the Madonna of India and has been the flag bearer of Indi Pop singers at the time when Bollywood songs ruled the music stage., says that a classic is always a classic and nothing really compares to it.”
“… but you know people want to express themselves and make new versions so that’s understandable. I have seen the video and heard the song too and I guess it’s best to let people judge and say what they feel about it because they are the best judge,” she told Firstpost.
Raja Kumari has paid tribute to Indian culture and heritage through the new version of Made In India. She said that it represents the new India and the essence of Indians across the world. Madhuri appears in the second half of the song sporting a golden outfit.
Alisha, who even received the International Billboard Award in 1995, around the same time Made in India came out and also won the Freddie Mercury Award for Artistic Excellence, says that the new version of the song came as a surprise to her as she was not involved in the process at all.
However, she says that it’s not a good idea to remake a classic.
“Nobody really touches a classic, look at Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’. Does anyone dare to mess with that unless it’s a parody or a spoof? I would say that it’s a very brave ambitious attempt and Raja Kumari is a very good rapper of course. Her fan base in America is huge but I think this sort of thing is a little out of her league- to kind of remake this. It really didn’t stand up to it but whatever it is, it’s her expression and there is nothing wrong with that, (sic)” she said.
‘Made In India’ has notched over 126 million views on youtube and has also introduced model Milind Soman to the world. Alisha says that the song is still fresh in people’s minds because of the feeling of patriotism in it.
“There is India in it and that makes all of us proud. We feel happy looking at the song and we enjoy listening to it over and over again,” she said
In the past, Alisha spoke openly about copyright issues in the Indian music industry and how original singers are often forgotten while remaking their popular tracks. In this case, too, she said, “All I get is a credit and a thank you. Well, thanks but no thanks, that’s my answer.”
Besides her independent pop music phase, Alisha also had a successful Bollywood playback singing career with songs like ‘Katte Nahi Kat te’ from ‘Mr. India’, ‘Aaj Ki Raat’ from ‘Don 2’ and ‘Kajra Re’ from the 2005 YRF movie ‘Bunty Aur Babli’. She even received the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award for the song “Kajra Re“.
Despite huge successes, Alisha took a break from her Bollywood career and she said that it was because of the copyright law. “It’s very disheartening. You don’t have the royalty of your own song and I think that’s not right considering we are the stars of that song.”
However, she is excited about the release of her next two songs with Zee Music Company.
“ I am launching two music videos with Zee Music Company and I am really excited because we shot the music videos in Samarkand and Bukhara. They should be coming out in early June so keep a watch on that,” she sums up.
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