The idiot box is at it again - borrowing from big brother Bollywood. Only this time round, instead of scripts and stars, lyrics and musical scores are being picked up.
A film might come and go, but its music lingers on. And why not? The hit numbers of films are kept alive in daily soaps, which ensure that they remain fresh in the memory of viewers.
Whether it's the saas-bahu sagas like Kahani ghar ghar kii and Kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi or hyper emotional family dramas like Saat phere or Kasautii zindagii kay, songs from Hindi films are certainly popular in TV serials. This does make one wonder if there's a tie-up between the filmmakers and tele-soap directors...
Almost every second tele-soap is propped by Bollywood songs. Is it a sort of contemporary trend? "Perhaps it can be called fashion," avers Ravi Rai who has directed serials like Kashish, Thoda Hai Thode Ki Zaroorat Hai and Sailabh, all of which helped to introduce the concept of recorded songs in serials. "I always record exclusive songs for my serials.
But now there is a trend of using Bollywood songs. This is an easy way out, as minimal effort is involved. But one can't claim to be innovative while using a film's track in a serial," says Rai who has recorded most of his tracks with Jagjit Singh, Nida Fazli and Javed Akhtar.
But does a viewer really appreciate the tune TV soaps are singing? Says homemaker Kamna Anand, "I think TV serials don't need songs. And if they do use songs, they should be innovative. Songs of serials like Talaash, Ghutan, etc are remembered even now. Where is the exclusivity in adding a rocking or romantic number from a film to suit the mood of the serials?"
Actor Sangeeta Ghosh couldn't agree more: "After a point of time, this trend will lose its charm because it will get monotonous. Serials will then have no choice but to go back to recording original songs." Ask actor Ritu Chaudhary, who has been working in a whole lot of the 'k' serials, whether songs from films add punch to serials and pat comes the reply, "They definitely do. Adding a song depends on the discretion of the production house and if people call that over-dramatic, then so be it. Serials are meant to be dramatic, anyway."
Interestingly, film songs from Bhatt's camp seem to be everyone's favourites when it comes to picking up a song for their soap. However, director Mahesh Bhatt is far from happy with this trend. "I've been consistently objecting to this practice and have been repeatedly seeking explanations from music companies. I simply don't comprehend the kind of understanding that exists between music companies and tele-soap makers. It's obviously for mutual benefit," he says.
However, the music companies sing a different tune. As Azaz Khatau, senior PR executive of a well-known music company confirms, "When films sign up with music companies, the latter gets the copyright for the music. We have a contract with the production house concerned, according to which the production house can pick a fixed number of songs from our company and pay us in return. Filmmakers shouldn't show antipathy towards this. Serials with songs from movies are doing well and the practice is thriving." Now, this won't be music to Bhatt's ears
