Movie titles are on song

<div class="section1"><div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="77.7%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><script language="javascript" src="Config?Configid=43376741"></script><br /><script language="javascript" src="Config?Configid=43376741"></script><br /><a href="javascript:popUp(&quot1;photopop?msid=211822&type=0&quot1;)"> <img border="0" align="left" src="/cms.dll/thumb?height=176&width=176&photoID=211822" hspace="12"" /></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Click to enlarge picture</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal">Decades after it was first played, Haqeeqat''s <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon</span> still has the power to move listeners to tears.Today, Anil Sharma couldn''t have chosen a better title for his magnum opus by the same name, which stars Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and Bobby Deol. ''''The title expresses what a soldier feels as he breathes his last,'''' says director Sharma.<br /><br />Of course, Sharma''s film is not the only one whose title has been inspired by a line from a song. The Abhishek Bachchan-starrer <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost </span>(MSAMD) owes its roots to the popular song in Vinod Khanna''s <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Aap Ki Khatir</span>. Shriram Raghavan''s Urmila-starrer <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Ek Hasina Thi</span> brings back memories of the haunting number in Rishi Kapoor''s <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Karz</span>. Also, the Abhishek-Aishwarya film <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kuch Na Kaho</span> reminds one of the song in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">1942: A Love Story</span>.<br /><br />Similarly, when Shah Rukh, Rani and Kajol crooned <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Koi Mil Gaya</span> in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kuch Kuch Hota Hai</span>, little did they know that, a few years later, Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta would lip-sync to the same words. ''''This was the most appropriate title for the film. It is not love, but a friend unlike any other that the protagonist finds,'''' informs a member of the Rakesh Roshan camp. <br /><br />The friend, in this case, is obviously friendly alien Jadoo.<br /><br />''''The title of any movie is chosen after careful deliberation,'''' says trade analyst Indu Mirani, ''''A title should tickle the viewer''s curiosity, while being self-explanatory.'''' But lifting of titles from songs can be incidental —or so claims MSAMD director Apoorva Lakhia also. ''''The movie is about Abhishek''s character returning to his village after a decade armed with a special gift for the villagers . Hence this title.''''<br /><br />Still, Bollywood continues to find inspiration for its film titles from songs of yesteryear. So much so, two films in the production stage have titles which sound like songs. If Saawan Kumar Tak''s <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Dil Pardesi Ho Gaya</span> brings to mind the line from the song <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Odhni</span> in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Tere Naam</span>, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Jaane Kya Hoga</span>, a sci-fi film with Aftab Shivdasani playing a scientist, reminds one of the <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kaante</span> number starring Sanjay Dutt and the Big B.<br /><br />All in all, it''s song season in Bollywood. So, whether or not William Shakespeare agrees, the answer to ''what''s in a name?'' could well be: melody! After all, would a movie title by any name other than the lines of a song sound as sweet?<br /><br />nikita.doval@indiatimes.com</div> </div>