Songs in Soaps

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Popular Hindi film songs are being used in TV's soap operas. And, as of now, they are working for sure.

Imagine this. Prerna and Anurag Basu are looking at each other. Suddenly, they go into a flashback with a popular Bollywood track playing in the background. Why does that happen?

That's, to add spice to the same old saas-bahu sagas and family dramas. Playing popular Hindi songs in serials seems to be new mantra on the small screen.

In Kasautii Zindagi Kay, the classic song Kya Pyar Karoge Mujhse is picturised on Prerna aka Shweta Tiwari and Anurag Basu.

The sad version of Tujhe Dekh Dekh Sona from Kalyug is used often in Kasamh Se, along with a number of popular songs like Meri Duniya Hai Tujh Main Kahin, Soniye and Jia Dhadak Dhadak Jaye are used.

In Saat Phere, the title track from Kya Kehna is played. Ekta Kapoor always incorporates new songs of her movies in her serials.

Says model-turned-actor Sampada Vaze, "Ekta Kapoor started the trend of using popular item songs where the leading lady of the serial dances to the tune of item number. These popular tracks are ideal for capturing a mood or describing a situation. In fact, it's a refreshing way of portraying a situation.

She adds, "In Rishton Ki Dor, they had picturised the song Pehla Nasha on me. To get the mood and feel of the original, they had hired a professional choreographer and even made me dress up in white salwar-kameez as shown in the original song."

The recall value of Bollywood songs seems to be the reason why more and more serialmakers are using popular tracks. Says Nivedita, creative head of Balaji Telefilms, "It's just that Bollywood songs have tremendous recall value.

Whenever a song is shown, the audiences can identify with it. If we create a fresh song, they won't be able connect with it in a similar way. In romantic scenes, Bollywood songs are really useful. For instance in Kahin To Hoga, we play Thoda sa Pyar Hua Hai, Thoda Hai Baki from Maine Dil Tujhko Diya."

Nandita Mehra, director of Saat Phere, affirms, "Instead of creating new songs, it's better to use songs which are already popular. One can use these songs on occasions like marriage or other situations."In other words, Bollywood is making a fresh impact. That too, in a territory one would have never ever thought.