5 Thoughts We Had About ‘Mirchi Lagi Toh’ From Coolie No. 1. Mainly Ki, Why Isn’t There Any Originality Left?

5 Thoughts We Had About ‘Mirchi Lagi Toh’ From Coolie No. 1. Mainly Ki, Why Isn’t There Any Originality Left?

I’m not a fan of remakes, mostly because I am yet to come across one Bollywood remake that’s convincing enough that it was needed. When the Coolie No. 1 remake featuring Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan was announced, I felt a similar emotion. For starters, it is a very outdated story for our times. The kind of deception that is at the centre of this film goes completely against the ethos of the period we live in. The same goes for its music, with the songs and lyrics, though same as the original, feel a little out of place for now. The film’s latest song ‘Mirchi Lagi Toh’ dropped today, and all my doubts concerning the film began accumulating at the tip of my tongue, making me reach for water.

 

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Since Varun Dhawan was being cast in Govinda’s role, I knew that when it comes to comic timing, David Dhawan ka ladka hai, dekh lega. From the promos and trailer, it does look like he and Sara Ali Khan have handled the responsibility well. What’s more, I am lowkey glad that a lot of what was in the original (like the songs or the dance steps) has been retained. But this is a double-edged sword, as you’ll soon notice that there’s no way to avoid comparisons or not criticise the outdated bits.

Here are five thoughts I had while watching the Mirchi Lagi Toh song from Coolie No. 1:

1. The set design is death by pastels! Also, typo alert!

Okay, we all love pastels. But what is happening here? It looks like a unicorn vomited all over and the result is a sugary, confectionary scene out of the 50s. Umm, guys, 90s as far as I can remember was more about going absolutely macho. Were y’all going for a “Let’s do Govinda’s colourful vibe but make it millennial?”

Speaking of the 90s, there’s a typo in your opening slate with an unnecessary apostrophe.

2. Sara Ali Khan looks adorable, and that expression game is on point! Lolo would be proud!

VD toh VD hai hi, and I feel that he and Ranveer Singh are such major Govinda fans, that they come the closest to paying tribute to Chi Chi’s style and mannerisms. Of course, Chi Chi is still unmatchable but these boys at least make it work.

But let’s not forget that Karisma Kapoor, who paired with Govinda on several films, was the queen of expressions too! Whether she was matching steps with Govinda or dancing those weird moves with Salman Khan, Lolo could give them a run for their money with her expressions. They were both a mix of innocence, comedy and she still managed to make it look adorable! And Sara Ali Khan seems to have grasped the best of it. Her expressions are quite on point and I’m really eyeing the outfits she’s sporting in the song for a pastel-themed girl’s day out!

Also Read: Sara Ali Khan’s Promotional Looks For Coolie No. 1 Are Quite Underwhelming. Here Is Lowdown On All The Outfits She Has Sported

3. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the music director for choosing to retain the original ‘Mirchi Lagi Toh‘ and not butchering it.

For doing this in every rehashed song for the film, Coolie No. 1 gets my thumbs up. Most remakes or remixes will take a perfectly good original song, and change everything that made it work the first time, only to replace it with the most pathetic choreography and lyrics. (Dus Bahaane 2.0, Deedar De… I’m talking to y’alls!)

But Coolie No.1 team knows that the madness of the original song, which continues to speak to the 90s’ kids, is the USP of the song. And it would be sacrilegious to tamper with it. So you’ve got the golden duo of Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik, the voices of our childhood, very much intact and Varun and Sara lip syncing to them.

Wise choice, team.

4. But there’s a con to the above pro. The song doesn’t feel at all relevant to the times we live in. Erm, well, actually the entire film doesn’t.

When I saw mazaa nahi aa raha, the reason is this. Try as much as they do to level the remake up to 2020 standards, the fact remains that the plot, the jokes, the song lyrics, etc… everything feels outdated and doesn’t have the same effect. I may have found things like “Tujhko mirchi lagi toh” and a rich girl staying in love with a coolie even after knowing he misled her cute back then. But it just feels so out of place and something that’s barely going to entertain anyone!

So while I am glad the original song has been retained, I don’t think I understand the need to have more than one original song added into the remake. Or remaking the whole film in 2020.

Also Read: 5 Thoughts I Had About The Song Teri Bhabhi From Coolie No. 1. Mainly, Why Are We Doing This In 2020?

5. Yaar, I’ve been asking this question since I first heard the original. Ye nani ko maarne ka scene kya hai?

No, seriously, someone needs to explain this to me. Maybe the original lyricist, Sameer, or David Dhawan himself. Why does someone’s maternal grandmother have to die? Out of jealousy? Out of shame? What? A pandemic that threatens senior lives is not a good time for this lyric!

https://thehauterfly.com/lifestyle/sara-ali-khan-on-being-trolled-says-for-the-first-time-it-actually-kind-of-hurts-we-love-her-honesty-but-she-will-have-to-toughen-up/

Jinal Bhatt

A Barbie girl with Oppenheimer humour. Sharp-tongue feminist and pop culture nerd with opinions on movies, shows, books, patriarchy, your boyfriend, everything.

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