TV serials take on hit Bollywood songs as titles

MUMBAI: Bollywood borrowed lines from film songs to make successful films—be it Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge or Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar Ke. A decade and a half later, the telly world is not only using hit film songs in its serials, but it has begun using popular lyrics in their titles too.

Some serials that have just gone on air or will soon be telecast are Ekta Kapoor's Bade Achche Lagte Hain (a song from Balika Badhu), Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon (from Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai) and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai (from Meenaxi ).

Writer and lyricist Manoj Muntashir said, "Popular songs have an easy recall and people quickly identify with them. In this over-the-top crop of new shows, it's hard for a show to cultivate an identity of its own. The best shortcut is to pick a line from a popular song with which the audience will immediately connect."

"Gone are the days when titles reflected the story idea of the show. Now, it's all about catching the audience's attention . It's as simple as roping in a popular star and getting a thunderous opening at the box office irrespective of the content and strength of the film. The same mindset is working in television ," he said.

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who started the trend of using film song in the title with Aamir Khan-starrer Hum Hai Raahi Pyaar Ke, said, "I plead guilty for ushering in the trend of using mukhda of hit songs as titles for my films like Dil Hai Kya Maanta Nahin and Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee. These titles worked because the songs had already made a deep impact on the minds of the audiences ."

Ekta Kapoor, whose serial Bade Achche Lagte Hai will go on air by the end of the month, said, "I love the song and I had got the title registered about six years ago. It is apt for the story of my serial."

Unlike films, using song as titles doesn't involve taking permission . Kapoor said, "We don't have to take clearances from anyone."

Vice-president of Association of Motion Picture and Television Programme Producers (AMPTPP), Vikas Mohan, said, "We don't bother when it comes to titles having lines from a song. The maker does not need permission to use it. There are some like Pyaar Ko Pyaar Hi Rehne Do Koi Naam Naa Do, To Peer Parayi Jane Re, Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega, etc."

Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi , who was programming head of Zee almost a decade ago, said, "I don't remember a single serial during my time that had a film song in its title. All had original titles. Original titles have worked. Serials like Hum Log and Buniyad are the biggest examples."

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