Karan Johar plans to jet off to Switzerland in April with Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt to shoot a romantic song in their new film, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani.
Apparently, the number and the style in which it will be shot will echo the chiffon-in-the-snow style of Karan's mentor, Yash Chopra.
Dharmendra, who is among the leads of the film, feels Indian cinema is forgetting the art of lip-sync singing.
"We used to sing such lovely romantic songs on screen in the voices of (Mohammed) Rafisaab and Lataji (Mangeshkar). Now, there are only background songs. Kahin aisa na ho ke Lataji ke saath woh hamari parampara khatam ho jaye," Dharamji tells Subhash K Jha
Prominent contemporary film-makers believe the art of lip-syncing is dead.
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra says he is uncomfortable with his characters singing on screen unless he makes a full-blown musical like Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya or Steven Spielberg's West Side Story.
In the 1970s, one of Bollywood's most prolific film-makers Basu Chatterjee would often force his songs into the background.
Immortal melodies like Rajnigandha Phool Tumhare (Rajnigandha), Na Jaane Kyon Hota Hai Yun Zindagi Ke Saath (Chotisi Baat), Yeh Din Kya Aaye Lage Phool Hanse (Chotisi Baat), Yeh Jeevan Hai Iss Jeevan Ka Yehi Hai Rang-Roop (Piya Ka Ghar), Lata Mangeshkar's version of Rimjim Gire Saawan (Manzil) and Tere Bin Kaise Din Beete Sajna (Priyatama) were relegated to the background in Basuda's films.
Basuda was reportedly uncomfortable with lip-sync numbers.
A lot of directors like Shoojit Sircar and Mehra feel the same way today.
Composer A R Rahman is unhappy about this development.
A lot of his songs in films like Rang De Basanti and Delhi 6 were used as background songs.
"Songs that are sung by major stars on screen get played in clubs and on radio," Rahman says. "They make a psychological impact on the audiences's mind. One reason why I like to do music in young stories is because these films allow their actors to sing on screen."
