Bollywood News

Tata Young, who sing the title track for Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Dhoom who sang, Rishi Rich and Jiya Dhadak Dhadak Jaye who had foot-tapping numbers for Hum Tum and Kya Kool Hai Hum, it’s the turn of three Kuly, Manj and Surj (Punjabi brothers) from Bradford. A night ago Rhythm Dhol Bass flew into Mumbai to score a track for Vipul Shah’s Namaste London.

They’re coming from across the border, and on occasion even from across the seven seas, and taking over the Bollywood film music scene.

all the playback singers and singers like Atif Aslam who sang and Faruk Mahfuz Anam, Jay Sean, and Zubin Garg who ahd sand a song in Gangster are now preferred to singers like Udit Narayan and Abhijeet .

Almost every film produced by the Mahesh and Mukesh (Bhatt brothers) in past three years has used talent from across the border in their films. “The fortunes of the music company Sa Re Ga Ma changed with Murder, points out a trade source. And T-Series admit they have a winner in the music of Woh Lamhe despite the music of superstar flicks like Jaan-e-Mann and Don being available alongside.

The chart busting qualities of these songs, the phenomenon of hiring an overseas music group or singer has also received a boost because of the emergence of a distinct UK Asian sound. “None of these guys are borrowing anything from our Hindi music,’’ says Shah adding that RDB has come as a boon for him. “I needed them for one song because Namaste London is about cultural amalgamation between Indians and NRIs in the UK. British Asian music is a perfect example of this fusion. It’s hip, contemporary and has great rhythm,’’ he says. What also prompted Shah to sign on RDB, a group formed in 2000, is the fact that their music has appeared on bestseller charts worldwide.

This has not gone down well with singers at home. “Some of us are sitting at home waiting our turn. For many of our film-makers, the grass is greener across the border,’’ says a disgruntled female playback singer. And Mahesh Bhatt, who is responsible for spearheading this movement. is the first accused on the list of Bollywood singers. Bhatt is aware of the resentment. “My decision to hire Pakistani singers met with opposition. Some even bitched that I was doing this to please the minority lobby. But the fact is that the new sound that they brought to Bollywood has proved beneficial.’’
Music director agrees With “The new singers have a unique sound quality. But we too have great talent in Sunidhi Chauhan, Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan.