Kamal Ghorui
Veteran lyricist Sameer Anjaan has voiced strong concerns over the ongoing credit disputes in the film music space, especially amid controversies surrounding ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’. As debates intensify over recreated tracks and ownership, he pointed out how original lyricists are often sidelined when classic songs are reworked, calling the trend both unfair and creatively disappointing.Sameer, who has re-written ‘Tu Meri Zindagi Hai’ for ‘Aashiqui 3’, starring Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela, expressed optimism about being involved in the recreated version to News18. “I’ve only written this version for ‘Aashiqui 3’. Pritam composed it and Vishal Mishra sang it. I always feel that the original lyricist should write the recreated version too,” he shared, emphasizing the importance of continuity in creative ownership.Reflecting on revisiting his own iconic track, Sameer admitted it wasn’t easy to recreate the magic. “Mujhe takleef hui kyunki I had written the original song and then I had to write different lyrics for the recreated version. The mukhra is the same. It’s the antara that has changed. When you listen to it, you’ll be surprised. The story here is different and so are the characters and the director,” he explained.Sameer Anjaan’s strong words on ‘Dilbar’ recreationThe lyricist didn’t hold back while recalling his disappointment over ‘Dilbar’ from ‘Satyameva Jayate’, which was rewritten by others. “They didn’t let me write it. Kisi faltu writer ko bulaake do naye lines likhwa diya. (They called some random, useless writer and got two new lines written.) But now that I was given the chance to write ‘Tu Meri Zindagi Hai’, you’ll see the difference,” Sameer said, clearly upset about being excluded from the process.Sameer also questioned decisions taken by other filmmakers regarding recreated songs. “Why did they not let Javed (Akhtar) saab write the title track of ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’? I want to ask the makers of ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh’ why they didn’t let me write the recreated version of ‘Ankhiyon Se Goli Mare’,” he remarked, highlighting a broader industry pattern.Sameer Anjaan praises ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ teamHowever, he appreciated the makers of ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ for involving him in the creative process. “I wrote ‘Mere Dholna 3.0’ for ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’, the one that was sung by Sonu Nigam. I had also written the original ‘Ami Je Tomar’. ‘Mere Dholna 3.0’ turned out to be as classy as the first one. Beech waala version kisi aur se likhwaaya par woh baat bani nahi,” (The middle version was written by someone else, but it didn’t quite work or match up) he noted.Concluding his remarks, Sameer criticised music companies for overlooking experienced lyricists. “Yeh music company waalon ke dimaag ka fitoor hai, bhram hai. (This is just a delusion, a misconception in the minds of these music company people.) The founder of a very big music label told me that they’ve a bunch of young musicians working for them for the past eight years. So, how come they haven’t delivered a single hit song? How can they write off those who helped their music company become a success? Yeh log milke humaare gaane ka ganda recreation bana rahe hai,” (They’re all coming together and ruining our songs with poor recreations) he said bluntly.More about ‘Tu Meri Zindagi Hai’The first look video of Anurag Basu’s romantic musical was shared by Kartik Aaryan in February 2025. It opens with the crowd cheering, while the actor plays guitar and performs on stage. He is seen singing ‘Tu Meri Zindagi Hai’, sporting a brooding lover’s look with a heavy beard and rugged long hair. The video also featured a few glimpses of Sreeleela and Kartik’s romantic moments, giving fans a sneak-peek of the fresh pair’s sizzling chemistry.
