The recently released track ‘Pardesiya’ from the film ‘Param Sundari’, featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor, comes with an impressive creative team—music by Sachin-Jigar, vocals by Sonu Nigam, Krishnakali Saha, and the composers themselves, with lyrics penned by the ever-reliable Amitabh Bhattacharya. Yet, despite the talent involved, the song lands with an unsettling sense of déjà vu. Its sonic structure strongly echoes ‘Kehna Hi Kya’ from ‘Bombay’, not just in rhythm and mood, but in its melodic phrasing. Elements like the “tag dum tag dum” refrain seem inspired from ‘Dil Se’, and the South Indian musical and visual flavour further reinforce the sense of borrowed familiarity.
But where the song falters most is in its visual and emotional dissonance. While the music and lyrics aim to evoke romance and emotional vulnerability, what we see on screen is playful, staged, and often disconnected from the song’s intended sentiment. The chemistry between the leads is noticeably absent, with the age and maturity gap between Sidharth and Janhvi all too apparent, making the pairing feel more awkward than aspirational.
The direction, too, chooses stylized framing over organic storytelling. Rather than allowing the song to serve as a natural emotional bridge in the narrative, it becomes a montage of glossy visuals and exaggerated poses—more of a music video than a cinematic moment that deepens character or plot.
What’s truly disheartening is how easily such misalignments are overlooked by filmmakers. In an industry with access to such rich storytelling potential, it’s puzzling—and frankly sad—how often these critical elements are sacrificed at the altar of visual appeal or star power. Songs in Indian cinema have historically been powerful tools to carry emotion and advance narrative, yet increasingly, they’re treated as standalone spectacles, disconnected from the story they claim to support.
When narrative coherence is compromised in favour of trend, gloss, or formula, it chips away at the very soul of the film. And that is not just a creative misstep—it’s a disservice to the story, the storyteller, and the audience.
