12th November 2023, Mumbai: Shah Rukh Khan’s return to the silver screen with Pathaan in 2023 was a triumph, but not without its share of controversies, particularly surrounding the song Besharam Rang. Deepika Padukone’s dance moves and the saffron-colored bikini she wore in the song sparked debates, prompting choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant to address the issue in an interview.
Choreographing Besharam Rang
Despite the pre-release scrutiny, Vaibhavi expressed no disheartenment, emphasizing her happiness with the song’s audio quality. She praised director Siddharth Anand’s knack for creating great song tracks and highlighted the positive collaboration with Deepika. Vaibhavi emphasized the innocence with which they approached the choreography, devoid of intentions to provoke interpretations or judgments. She remarked, “We aren’t thinking as time nahi hai kisi pe paas ki log kya kahenge. Kuch to log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna.” (We don’t have time to think about what people will say. It’s their job to say something.)
Addressing Deepika’s Saffron Bikini
Addressing the controversy surrounding Deepika’s saffron bikini, Vaibhavi clarified that the choice of color was coincidental and not a conscious decision. The costume had been chosen in continuity with a scene shot earlier, and it was locked before she started working on the song. Vaibhavi reflected on how a different song title, like Hamein to Loot Liya, might have averted the controversy, speculating that the term Besharam Rang may have provided food for thought.
Reflecting on the Controversy
In a light-hearted manner, Vaibhavi suggested, “I think, the title of the song, maybe if we had called it Hamein to Loot Liya, it would have solved all our issues. But because it was called Besharam Rang maybe, is what we speculate in hindsight, people had food for thought. But it’s good to be a conversation starter.”
Despite the bumps in the road, Vaibhavi’s positive outlook and dedication to creating something special for Deepika in their first collaboration shine through. As Pathaan continues to enjoy success, Vaibhavi remains unfazed by the controversies, emphasizing the joy of creative collaboration in the world of Bollywood.