His film Baaghi 3 (2020) might have taken a beating from the sudden coronavirus attack, but that is not going to keep Tiger Shroff down. The actor has taken up the mantle laid down by the legendary Mithun Chakraborty by grooving to the tune of the iconic 'Disco Dancer' title track from the 1982 film in the new single 'I Am A Disco Dancer 2.0'. Sung by Benny Dayal, the song has been composed by Salim-Sulaiman and choreographed by Bosco Martis.
Visually, the new version and the original are chalk and cheese. Where Mithun Chakraborty came across as the original Indian take on the disco phenomenon with all its glitz, pseudo-guitar-playing and headbands, Tiger Shroff is an uber-modern, muscled machine that moves in sync with the music.
The original has a certain naivete and gaucheness that makes it endearing, where the new one is a marvel to look at. In that, the visuals are a definite upgrade. Whether they match up to the addictiveness of Mithun-da's grace and joy is another matter.
Shroff is no mean dancer, but the choreography by Bosco Martis does not really showcase all of his agility. Maybe that was saved for Baaghi 3. Some of the song's moves, like the Hrithik Roshan homage from Koi... Mil Gaya (2003), do put a smile on your face. The rest is all serious dancing.
The music follows a similar template. Salim-Sulaiman's version is percussion-heavy and leans more towards EDM (Electronic Dance Music) rather than the synth of disco. Like the visuals, it is definitely an upgrade. The song is addictive and has the rhythm to put it on the popular list with DJs (disc jockeys).
Tiger Shroff does move in synch and makes the song one for audiences to admire, not emulate. Benny Dayal adds a more gruff vocal to make it sound more macho than the Vijay Benedict original and suit Salim-Sulaiman's beat-heavy composition.
However, old-timers can still rejoice that the unabashedness of Mithun-da's style remains unmatched.