Classic song remake sparks fresh controversy
The makers of Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday’s Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri recently dropped a remixed version of the iconic song “Saat Samundar Paar” on social media — and the reaction has been anything but unanimous.
While some welcomed the nostalgic throwback, a large section of listeners felt the new version diluted the soul of the original. Now, the debate has taken a sharper turn after legendary lyricist Anand Bakshi’s son, Rakesh Anand Bakshi, publicly criticised the remake.
Rakesh Anand Bakshi questions lyricist credits
On Wednesday, Rakesh Anand Bakshi took to Instagram to call out what he described as an unfair crediting system for the recreated track. His concern stemmed from the new version listing two lyricists — Anand Bakshi and Karan Nawani — even though only a couple of new lines were added.
Sharing a screenshot of the credits, Rakesh argued that adding one or two lines does not justify a “co-lyricist” tag when the bulk of the song still uses the original lyrics written by his father.
He pointed out that just like music credits often differentiate between original and additional composition, the same format should be followed for lyrics — something he believes streaming platforms urgently need to reform.
‘It breaks the continuity’
Rakesh didn’t stop at crediting alone. While he acknowledged that the singer had slowed down the composition and performed it well, he was openly critical of the newly written lyrics.
Calling them a “mismatch,” he said the recreated lines don’t align with the emotional thought process of the original verse and end up breaking its lyrical continuity. According to him, the new words fail to respect the intent and flow Anand Bakshi originally envisioned.
He also tagged the music label Saregama and the singer, urging greater accountability when handling legacy songs.
A cult classic with lasting impact
The original “Saat Samundar Paar” featured in the 1992 film Vishwatma, starring Sunny Deol and Divya Bharti. Composed by Viju Shah and sung by Sadhana Sargam and Udit Narayan, the track became one of the most iconic romantic numbers of the ’90s — and remains widely loved even today.
That enduring popularity is precisely why remakes of such songs often face intense scrutiny.
About the film
Directed by Sameer Vidwans, Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri is presented by Dharma Productions and Namah Pictures, and produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Shareen Mantri Kedia, and Kishor Arora.
The film is slated to release in theatres on December 25.
Final words
Reimagining classics is always a risky move — and Saat Samundar Paar is no exception. With Anand Bakshi’s son now raising serious concerns about credits and lyrical integrity, the debate around musical remakes has once again taken centre stage. Whether the makers respond remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: when it comes to legacy songs, audiences — and creators’ families — are listening closely.
