Song Review: Laila O Laila (Chalo Dilli)

Film: Chalo Dilli (Release Date: April 29, 2011)
Singer: June Banerjee
Composer: Gourov Dasgupta

The track "Laila O Laila" from the forthcoming film Chalo Dilli is the much talked about item song picturized on Yana Gupta and obviously adapted from the 1980 hit of the same title from the film Qurbani. While I will try my best not to compare the song to the original (listen to it here), let me just say that I read reports saying that the new song is virtually "unaltered" from the original track, and that is simply not true. The music is different, the singer is different, and the pace is different. If that's not "altered" then I don't know what is. Now, on to the revamped "Laila O Laila"!

The first minute or so of the song left me in sheer confusion (and terror!) to be honest. It starts off with soft, slow crooning, which many songs do. But this particular opening was so long and drawn out that I was wondering whether I was listening to a bhajan or an item number. But if you manage to stay awake through the first minute and 10 seconds of the song, it does get better! 

The music is hands-down the best part of this track. Once the main beat hits, you remain captivated by the song; it's very traditional and Desi, but at the same time modern and dance-able. I wasn't sure how "Laila O Laila" would work as an item song (especially one featuring Yana) but after hearing it, it's clear that this song was meant to be a sexy item number. The lyrics seem to be pretty similar to the original, but the new music really spices them up.

I'm not really sure about the singing, however. June Banerjee is clearly talented but I feel like this voice didn't suit the song. I understand what they were going for in trying to portray a type of "village vamp" (think Munni!) but I think they went a little too far and June's voice often sounded plain drunk rather than sexy. This is mostly evident in her singing the actual "Laila O Laila" chorus--she seems to do fine with the rest of the song. 

Ultimately, the new "Laila" excels music-wise, but the needlessly long intro and June's over-the-top singing are a few significant drawbacks. But, in the end, it's still fun, catchy, and item-number worthy.

Final Verdict: 3/5

Yana Gupta to be the new "Laila"

Yana Gupta is set to perform to the legendary song "Laila O Laila" (originally performed by Zeenat Aman in Qurbani) in the upcoming film Chalo Dilli. Yana is no stranger to item numbers. Remember her kind of awkward, but still memorable "Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo" in the 2003 flick Dum?

Apparently, no "alterations" were made to the original song. I'm not exactly sure what that means. Is the song just not remixed? Does the song contain the original artists' voice and music? Either way, Zeenat is reportedly very happy with the final product. She basically threw a fit with the new remix of "Mit Jaaye Gham" which is a great song, in my opinion.

I love remixes. They make songs fun and danceable. That's all there is to it. No one's claiming to be "better" than the original, so why can't people just lighten up? Also, just because something is older doesn't inherently make it better. I find the original "Laila O Laila" to be a bit dull, and wouldn't mind if it was spiced up a little. A lot of people also seemed to have a problem with the raunchy lyrics and picturization of "Mit Jaaye Gham." Well, take a look at this newly released "Laila O Laila" trailer:

How is this any less risque than the Dum Maaro Dum song? Yana is practically extremely scantily clad in the song and dances pretty suggestively (which isn't a problem!). But just because she, as opposed to Deepika, is in Indian clothes rather than Western ones, how is this any less...well...slutty? While "Laila O Laila" is a more traditional item number, "Mit Jaaye Gham" is simply more modern. As India and the world around it is changing, people should understand that cinema will evolve along with it--and that includes item songs. It's fine to not like "Mit Jaaye Gham" as a song, but I think it's unfair to write it off simply because it's a remix of an older number.

But I digress. Yana seems to sizzle in this new item song, and even if the song itself isn't any different from the original, I'm excited to see what flavor Yana brings to it herself! Chalo Dilli releases at the end of the month.