Falguni Pathak: Jab khud pe guzarti hai tab pata chalta hai

Of late, fans of Indian pop music have been up in arms about the recently released track, O Sajna, which is a re-imagined version of singer Falguni Pathak’s hit 90s track, Maine Payal Hai Chhankai. The new song, composed by Tanishk Bagchi and sung by Neha Kakkar, has irked Pathak, who wishes she had the right to take legal action.

She took to social media to express her disappointment. “What else could have I done? I could not take legal action,” Pathak tells us, adding, “I was overwhelmed to see so many people write on social media that they love my music, and they didn’t like this (Kakkar’s) version.”

Pathak said in a recent interview that she “would have taken a legal route” if she could. She tells us that back then, she “didn’t know” the importance of owning music rights, which could have prevented such recreations. “I wish I was aware back then. Jab khud pe guzarti hai tab pata chalta hai. I regret that I didn’t know about it then, otherwise I would have definitely done something about it,” the Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi singer says.

Pathak, 52, meanwhile, clarifies that she isn’t averse to the idea of recreations. But she feels that whoever works on a recreated version should be passionate about music and work on the song wholeheartedly, rather than thinking just about its success.

“I don’t mind singing a remake,” she says, when asked if she would like to sing one, given an opportunity. “I am not averse to the idea of remixes and recreations. They have been happening for a long time. But it has to be done with a lot of passion, and the passion has to be only about creating good music. Everything else comes later,” the singer signs off.

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