Five examples from the past decade that prove the lyricist may be gone but is not forgotten, on his 97th birth anniversary today (1 October).
Sonal Pandya
The only lyricist to receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award, Majrooh Sultanpuri has left behind a legacy as songwriter for over 330 films. Which is why even today you can find his timeless songs being reworked into today's films.
1. Lifting its title directly from the hugely popular song 'Bachna Ae Haseeno' in Nasir Husain's Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977), Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) also featured a remixed version of the original song with parts sung by Kishore Kumar and his son Sumit Kumar.
2. The song 'Raat Akeli Hai', originally picturised on Tanuja in Jewel Thief (1967), was used to dramatic effect in 2011's found-footage flick Ragini MMS starring Rajkummar Rao and Kainaz Motivala.
3. The song 'Fifi' from Bombay Velvet (2015) is a remixed reimagining of Majrooh Sultanpuri's 'Jata Kahaan Hai Diwane' sung by Geeta Dutt. The song was edited out of the film CID (1956) after the censors objected to its suggestive lyrics.
4. In the sequel to 2011's Tanu Weds Manu, 'Ja Ja Ja Bewafa' from Aar-Paar (1954) is used in the background as Kangana Ranaut's Tanu roams around the city aimlessly.
5. It's not just the Hindi film industry that's taking notice. French artiste Leeroy sampled 'Piya Tu Ab Toh Aa Ja' from Caravan (1971) on the song 'Firewall' off his 2006 album Bollywood Trip.
