Tulsi Kumar, who recently lent her voice to ‘Tera Ban Jaunga’ in Shahid Kapoor-starrer Kabir Singh has become the talk of the town with her latest number ‘O Saki Saki’ in Batla House which was recreated by music composer Tanishk Bagchi.
Featuring Nora Fatehi and co-sung by Neha Kakkar, the song was in a completely different zone and genre for the singer. “‘O Saki Saki’ was a very high full-on energy number. It was a huge challenge for me because it required a completely different tone, mood and texture. It needed a very sensuous and power-packed singing.
It was a totally different side of me that I had to portray through my singing. I did work very hard in the studio to change my tone for this song. I have sung it full-throated, also it’s in the lower key so people get to hear a different tone and timber of me. I had to match up my energy, vibe and expression as per the song which was quite difficult,” says Tulsi, who has also sung in films such as Airlift, Wajah Tum Ho and most recently in Saaho.
On being asked if doing justice to the original song is a strenuous job, the 33-year-old promptly says, “When you are a part of a remake you have to be fully-prepared that there will be comparisons and disagreements because everyone is so attached to the original version.
But you also have to give a totally new side if you’re being a part of any such project.
You just don’t blindly follow what has been done in the previous song because anyway that was an iconic track and that’s why it’s being recreated.” She goes on to add that, “The idea is to do something different but at the same time retain the ‘hook part’ of the song which everybody remembers.
Also, I think you have to add on lyrically and musically [to the song]. Some novel factor has to be there for the number to be re-accepted. That’s a double challenge for the musician to bring in new lyrics, new melody and attach it to the existing iconic tune.
It is really a huge challenge for everyone involved in the entire process of remaking the song.”
Recreating old songs has been a much-debated issue in the Indian music industry, but Tulsi feels “there’s no harm in it if they’re done nicely and if they’re handled with full care.” Stating that a lot of songs are being revamped these days, she says, “Because it’s a known fact that only an iconic song gets a recreation as it has a recall value. People love it so much that there’s an element of nostalgia.
There’s always a possibility that they must have not heard that track, especially the very young generation that exists today. So with this trend, they also get an opportunity to hear a completely revamped version of it, and then they can go back and listen in to the original version as well.
I don’t think there’s any harm in the remaking as long as the ‘vibe’ and ‘soul’ of that particular song do not change or are not tampered with in an incorrect manner.” Tulsi emphasises that in case of a remake, the entire process must be executed with precision. “I think this trend of ‘remake’ is here to stay, people are hearing these recreations, so they’re being made in such huge numbers."