Same Tune, New Beat: Bollywood and its love affair with Remakes

Every year, Bollywood releases hundreds of songs. Some stay in our hearts, while others pass by quickly. Lag Jaa Gale by Lata Mangeshkar is widely regarded as one of the most iconic and melodious songs of all time. It was later recreated by Sanam Puri, and the remake version also received a decent amount of love from the audience. However, there is one thing that Bollywood, according to most netizens, isn’t doing right—remaking some old songs thoughtlessly.

Rise of Remake Culture

As soon as the remake trend began, music lovers reacted, but Bollywood didn’t care enough to stop it. In fact, there is rarely a single movie these days without at least one remade song. Add a high or fast beat, throw in a few English words at the beginning or in between, include one slow musical line, repeat the main hook four to six times, and there you go—your remake is ready. This formula has become predictable, yet it remains a dominant presence in film soundtracks.

 Why Bollywood Keeps Doing It

The question is—why does Bollywood keep doing this? The answer is simple. Remaking old hit songs feels safer and more profitable. A familiar song already has fans, so it quickly grabs attention and helps in marketing a film. Nostalgia plays a big role, as people enjoy hearing songs they grew up with, especially when presented in a modern style.

Take the Saiyaara song from the film Saiyaara or the iconic Ghar Kab Aaoge from Border 2. The original songs were remembered by generations and set the bar high, but the remakes are merely there to evoke nostalgia. Remakes are also quicker and easier to produce than original music, which suits tight deadlines. With the help of technology, especially autotunes and music software, recreating popular sounds has become simpler, making filmmakers rely more on remakes than fresh compositions.

Criticism and Backlash from the Audience

Despite their popularity, these remakes face strong criticism from audiences and critics. Many people feel that classic songs are being spoiled and that the new versions fail to match the emotions of the originals.

According to Twitteratis, recent remakes like Dus Bahane 2.0, O Sajna by Neha Kakkar, Masakali 2.0, Tip Tip Barsa Paani, Cheez Badi, and Ye Jawaani Hai Deewani ruined the vibe of the originals. However, there are some remake songs that received love as well. Tracks like Aankh Marey, Tamma Tamma Again, Dilbar, and Saaki Saaki were loved by audiences over the last few years.

Still, the question remains—why is Bollywood moving towards remaking old songs instead of creating original compositions like Chaiyya Chaiyya, Jai Ho, or Tere Bina?

“The composition of Tere Bina is a bliss to the ears for everyone who listens to it calmly. This new generation has a very different taste. They like APT kinda songs,” says Himanshi Bajpai, a PR professional and an avid music listener. She adds, “Songs like Tere Bina come once in generations and stay in our hearts forever. The class of A.R. Rahman can’t be matched.”

Actors Under Fire

While some people continue to cherish old songs, the internet has been busy blaming actors like Varun Dhawan and Kartik Aaryan. Their films feature several remade songs, and netizens have started speaking up.

“Remake songs ka Shehzada Kartik Aaryan is on some kind of a mission to destroy each and every iconic song of Bollywood,” writes Shivam_tanishq on X (formerly Twitter) and sharing screenshots of remade tracks like Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 title song, Character Dheela 2.0, Tu Meri Zindagi Hai, and Saat Samundar Paar. Many users agree with him.

Varun Dhawan, too, faced backlash in the past for songs like Lift Teri Bandh Hai and Chalti Hai Kya 9 Se 12 from Judwaa 2.

A Creativity Crisis?

Overall, this trend is seen as a lack of creativity. Filmmakers are choosing easier options instead of creating original music. Critics believe that too many remakes and Western influences are weakening the unique identity of Bollywood music. “Today’s audience has access to global content through streaming platforms. We expect better quality and originality. We are no longer impressed by repetitive, autotuned, or poorly made remakes,” Rahul Gupta, senior visualiser, E-Factors, a Noida-based event management company.