The first song from the upcoming thriller Dhokha Round D Corner was released recently. Titled Mere Dil Gaaye Ja, it is a recreation of the iconic disco number Zooby Zooby from the 1987 dance film starring Mithun Chakraborty, Smita Patil, and Mandakini. The song was originally crooned by singer Alisha Chinai, thus marking her debut in the music industry, and was composed by late music musician Bappi Lahiri.
Mere Dil Gaaye Ja features debutante Khushalii Kumar along with actors R Madhavan, Darshan Kumar, and Aparshakti Khurana. She is seen stepping into the shoes of Marathi actor Sarala Yeolekar, who made heads turn with her sensual avatar in Zooby Zooby, in the latest track. At a recent event, Kumar said that she took inspiration from veteran actor and fashion icon Zeenat Aman to bring a retro vibe to the vibrant and peppy song. She shared, “I love the song Laila O Laila (Qurbani; 1979) and Zeenat Aman is my all-time favourite.”
Check out Mere Dil Gaaye Ja here:
Talking about dancing to the track, Kumar said, “It’s an amazing choreography by Adil (Shaikh) sir. He has really made me look nice and dance so well. I really enjoyed performing in it. It’s beautifully sung by Zahrah (S Khan; singer). Her tone, texture, and vibe gave the song a lot of energy and us, the energy to perform. I feel fortunate and lucky to get this amazing song in my debut film.”
Kumar will be seen in a de-glam avatar in the film but the song marks a contrasting departure from her look. Shedding light on the same, she says, “Throughout the film, my character is seen in a red saree which holds a very big significance. My avatar in Mere Dil Gaaye Ja is completely different. She has many shades and layers. It wasn’t an easy character for me to play. She seems like a simple housewife but maybe she isn’t so simple. Her beauty hides the storm that goes on within her. The song gives you a little sneak peek into the mystery, thrill and excitement that the film holds.”
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When it comes to the recreations of iconic tracks, comparisons are inevitable. When asked about it, Kumar revealed being under ‘pressure’. “When I first heard it, I was very excited. I also felt a bit of pressure since it’s a timeless tune. But I feel you cannot perform under pressure. The idea is to go with the flow and the moment and enjoy it and give it your hundred percent. That’s what I did,” he said.
As for Khan, singing Mere Dil Gaaye Ja in Dhokha was a rather special moment. Born to singer and actor Salma Agha, she recalls being elated to sing for Lahiri who collaborated with Agha on tracks from Dance Dance. “This is very, very special to me because my mom has done a lot of songs with Bappi da. When the song came my way, it felt like I was indirectly working with him. It was a dream come true. It’s such a beautiful song. I think any singer would definitely want to sing it. When recreations come your way, they are always our favourite songs that get recreated. It’s a good opportunity to give your vibe to it but also stay true to the melody and the original feel of the song,” she said.
Khan added, “The video is looking fantastic. Khushalii has done a great job. She’s killing it with her moves. I love the hook step as well. This recreation is fabulous and it’s sounding more powerful and apt to what the film is like.”
Mere Dil Gaaye Ja is composed by Tanishk Bagchi and penned by Kumaar. Dhokha Round D Corner is directed by Kookie V Gulati and produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Dharmendra Sharma, and Vikrant Sharma. It is slated for a theatrical release on September 23, 2022.
