Why Bollywood keeps naming films after old songs

In today’s Bollywood, nostalgia is much than conscionable a sentiment—it’s a selling strategy. With expanding frequency, filmmakers are borrowing from the past to trade movie titles that instantly spark recognition.

Song lyrics, taste phrases, and classical movie references are being repurposed to emotionally hook audiences earlier the archetypal trailer adjacent drops. As 1 manufacture insider quipped, “Nostalgia sells faster than popcorn astatine a multiplex.”Titles That Echo Familiar TunesIt’s nary coincidence that galore caller titles dependable eerily familiar—they often are. Take Jawaani Jaaneman (2020), for example. Its sanction is lifted consecutive from the foot-tapping 1982 disco deed from Namak Halaal, a opus inactive embedded successful Bollywood’s corporate memory.

Similarly, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke borrows from a lyric successful the iconic Bombay Meri Jaan, tapping into Mumbai’s taste soul.

This inclination has heavy roots. Titles similar Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Jab Tak Hai Jaan were themselves drawn from classical Bollywood songs. But successful the past decade, this signifier has gained renewed momentum—anchored successful the content that a acquainted rubric creates an affectional shortcut to assemblage interest.

Does Nostalgia Translate to Box Office Success?Not always. Jawaani Jaaneman, contempt the catchy title, failed to click with audiences—earning Rs 39.1 crore connected a fund of Rs 34 crore and landing arsenic a container bureau disappointment. In contrast, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke became a sleeper hit, grossing Rs 115.9 crore connected a Rs 40 crore budget, proving that portion nostalgia whitethorn pull attention, it’s the movie itself that indispensable deliver.

Filmmakers are alert of this. Veteran manager Subhash Ghai said successful an interrogation with India Today that utilizing a enactment from a fashionable opus oregon poem is an casual mode to connect—but it indispensable organically suit the story.

Talking to the aforesaid quality portal, lyricist Swanand Kirkire, however, has been much critical, calling the inclination a “marketing gimmick” that substitutes buzz for depth.Borrowed Lyrics, Fresh FilmsSome upcoming and caller films bespeak this nostalgia-driven titling much intelligibly than ever:Hai Jawaani Toh Ishq Hona Hai (2025) – The title, from the 1999 deed opus Sona Sona (Biwi No. 1), returns successful a 2025 remake of a 2003 film, betting connected youthful exuberance and opus familiarity to reconnect with today’s audience.

Saiyaara (2025) – Named aft the poignant way from Ek Tha Tiger (2012), the movie taps into the song’s affectional extent to awesome a romantic, introspective tone.

Haseen Dillruba (2021) – This Netflix thriller uses a operation from Namak Halaal’s Jawani Janeman, suggesting classical romance, adjacent arsenic the movie delivers a modern, darker narrative.De De Pyaar De (2019) – Borrowed from Sharaabi’s (1984) beloved track, this movie combined nostalgic familiarity with a caller crippled astir age-gap romance, helping it execute commercialized occurrence (Rs 143 crore worldwide).Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan (2025) – Though inspired by a Ruskin Bond abbreviated story, the rubric leans connected the romanticist lyric from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), priming audiences for a emotion communicative affluent successful emotion.

Param Sundari (2025) – A clever treble play, this movie uses some a trending opus rubric from Mimi (2021) and the quality names (Param and Sundari), ensuring a culturally resonant hook.Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024): The rubric is borrowed from the hook enactment of “Teri Baaton”—a 2004 chartbuster by Raghav Mathur. The movie modernizes the operation successful a futuristic emotion story, utilizing the affectional callback of the archetypal to pull some older fans and Gen Z listeners.

Om Shanti Om (2007):The rubric comes from the retro classical opus “Om Shanti Om” sung by Kishore Kumar successful the 1980 movie Karz. Farah Khan’s reincarnation play not lone paid homage to 70s Bollywood but besides revived the melodramatic benignant of that epoch with a modern twist.

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016):Inspired by the celebrated enactment from the Mukesh opus “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahan” from CID (1956), Karan Johar’s movie explored modern heartbreak and unrequited love—an affectional taxable that resonates crossed generations.

The Nostalgia Trade-OffWhile nostalgia-based titles bash connection instant recall, their overuse raises concerns astir originative stagnation. As 1 commercialized expert points out, “It’s the concern of feelings—packaged to look familiar, dependable familiar, and consciousness safe.” But harmless doesn’t ever sell. If the communicative down the nostalgic rubric fails to resonate, the familiarity rapidly turns into disappointment.In essence, these titles enactment arsenic affectional triggers—a benignant of cinematic shorthand meant to lure viewers. But the eventual occurrence of a movie inactive depends connected its substance. Nostalgia mightiness unfastened the door, but it’s the storytelling that invites audiences to stay.