Bollywood is synonymous with its music. The movies in Bollywood are known for their colourful, vibrant, and lively songs. From energetic dance sequences to catchy tunes, powerful beats, and meaningful lyrics, the music has always captured the emotions of its audience. Whether it’s a party anthem, a heart-wrenching score, or a soulful melody, Bollywood music has become almost interchangeable with Indian music itself.
However, in recent years, this beloved musical tradition seems to be losing its charm. Instead of delivering fresh and heartfelt compositions, Bollywood often resorts to over reliance on auto-tune, cheap lyrics, vulgar dance numbers, repetitive costumes and lazy remakes.
Somewhere between déjà vu and auto-tune, Bollywood’s musical charm is fading fast. But who’s really to blame? The artists or the audiences? Let’s find out!
The Modern Bollywood Song
The formula for a perfect, sure-shot blockbuster Bollywood song often seems to involve cheap lyrics, a woman, vulgar hook steps, and background dancers fading into the background. One such example is Dabidi Dibidi, which took over the internet at the start of the year. The actor, Urvashi Rautela, faced major backlash due to the controversial hook step where her co-actor, Balakrishna, appears to be repeatedly hitting her.
In the 21st century, when people are advocating for equality and representation, Bollywood is still largely using women as mere eye candy. For example, many critics and audiences have commented that the women in Housefull 5 are“just there”. They are not given a substantive role.
The condition has reached such a point that even children’s rhymes are being turned into songs, such as Titli Udi in the new movie, Bhool Chuk Maaf.
On the other hand, while old songs had vibrancy and depth, newer ones are becoming monotonous. Background dancers are almost invisible, and the focus remains solely on the women. Even the framing of these songs is designed to fit the“reel” format.
The History of Music
In the Indian context, the classic structure of a song typically consists of an intro, mukhda, antara, and a hook/refrain that forms the chorus. However, recent trends have seen a significant shift. Today’s songs often dive straight into the hook, completely overshadowing the other vital parts of the composition. This isn’t a mistake, but rather a deliberate decision because nobody wants to“wait” anymore; patience is out. The emotional build-up, the story arc, and the intricate composition have all been sacrificed for the sake of a viral“drop.”
TikTokification of Bollywood Music
As stated above, songs in today’s time are crafted to serve one purpose – to go viral. With platforms like YouTube and Instagram Reels becoming gatekeepers of popularity, the music industry has also fallen prey to this trend. Even song lengths are shrinking to suit short attention spans. For instance,“Suraj Hua Maddham” from the not-very-old film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham(2001) is over 7 minutes long, while the entire album of the recently released Housefull 5(2025) clocks in at just 15 minutes and 20 seconds.
Instagram reels (Meta)
It’s no longer about a holistic listening experience, but rather a punchy performance window. Only 15-20 seconds of a song remain relevant, while the rest is practically filler. If the“hook” of your song doesn’t make it to the reels and get everyone grooving, it’s considered a flop. The music industry has become completely dependent on reels for its survival.
The Remake Epidemic in Bollywood
Bollywood seems to have hit a creative block, with“reimagining” old classics by musical legends becoming the primary way forward. These remakes often feature heavy beats, auto-tune, and little else. While nostalgia can be a great hook, the results are frequently insufferable, stripping away the original’s soul. It’s less of an homage and more of a hijack.
The original Tip Tip Barsa Pani-1994 and its remake-2021 (YouTube)
And if that weren’t enough, another significant problem has emerged. The original artists are not being credited! Producers remix iconic tracks but often omit the names of the original lyricists, composers, or singers. Songs that artists poured years into creating are not only being transformed into something unrecognizable, but the original creators are also being denied due credit. As AR Rahman stated in an interview,“They don’t give credits. It’s an annoying thing.”
Evolution or Decline?
Supporters call it“evolution”, that“music [is] adapting to changing times and audiences”. But is it really evolution when every new song sounds like a blend of five old ones? When virality is the sole marker of success? And audiences are to be blamed just as much as, or even more than the artists, as it is their support and demands that the artists are meeting. At the cost of genuine artistry and the slow, painful demise of quality music!
