Javed Akhtar slams recreating old songs with rap music: “It is like putting psychedelic light in Ajanta or disco music in Taj Mahal” : Bollywood News

Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar has strong opinions on reviving old music and mixing them with rap. The lyricist, who has been a part of the industry for several decades, feels like recreating music has become more commercial now, which irks him.

Javed Akhtar slams recreating old songs with rap music: “It is like putting psychedelic light in Ajanta or disco music in Taj Mahal”

In a recent conversation with Cyrus Says, Javed Akhtar said, “Remembering the past, giving certain importance to it, trying to revive it is not wrong at all. It is appreciable, but at the same time this kind of commercial dependence on the past is not a healthy attitude. At least preserve its dignity. You take a song with beautiful lyrics, good meaning and then add your own bizarre antras (stanzas) to it, that is not done. It is like putting psychedelic light in Ajanta or disco music in Taj Mahal. That is not done."

He added, “These are memorable songs, by great singers, writers, composers; you should respect them. This is a cultural heritage. You want to revive it, sure go ahead, you want to (let) someone else to sing it with new orchestra and arrangement, there is no problem in that. Like, you take a (KL) Saigal song and make Arijit (Singh) sing it, it is fine. But you take that song and add a rap in between, that’s not done.”

Meanwhile, Javed Akhtar’s next work will be seen in The Archies as he has penned lyrics for the Zoya Akhtar directorial.