The 'special item' song: Will Priyanka get it right the second time

Okay. So Priyanka Chopra's first item song in Shootout At Wadala has come and gone. Moving on, she's not taking any risks with getting it absolutely right the second time around in her special song for Zanjeer.

We hear the lyrics by Shabbir Ahmed had to go for a second round of refurbishment.

Says a source close to the project, `Initially Priyanka was very sure she wanted non-suggestive lyrics and movements. But then the words came out a little flat. So the lyrics had to be livened up without losing their innocuousness.

We finally zeroed in on these lines Mumbai na Dilliwallon ki, Pinky hai dilwaalon ki. Priyanka felt this was saucy but not suggestive. And we went with that.

And no one was allowed to call it an 'item song' because Priyanka wanted the number to be freed of implications commodifying women. It was called a special song. `



We hear the song which was shot over the last four days in Mumbai last week has been given an added boost. Keeping it vulgarity-free is all very well. But Priyanka wanted, in the words of the source, the lyrics and movements to be `free of flab but nonetheless fab`.

The brief during the shooting of the song to choreographer Ganesh Acharya was to make it bigger bouncier brighter than Katrina's Chikni chameli. But without the pelvic thrusts, heaves and aggressive gyrations.

A tall order.

The format of Priyanka's `special song` had been radically revised.


While earlier Priyanka was to dance with Ramcharan Teja for the number she has now opted to sizzle solo for the song... well, sort of.

Says the source from the sets, `Ram will have his own item song that would be used only in the Telugu version of Zanjeer. Making the no-nonsense cop in Zanjeer sing and dance for the Hindi version would look ridiculous.

For Priyanka's special song there are 100 male chorus dancers. Yes, you heard right. 100 dancers, all male, with Priyanka in her Pinky song.

And keeping in mind the new censor board diktat for item songs specifying `no touching only dancing` all the male dancers had to maintain a hands-off position with Priyanka. `

The Meet Brothers who have composed the Pinky hai dilwaalon ki number were also closely instructed.


Says the source, `The beats had to be vivacious but not overly-provocative. And since Mamta Sharma who sang Munni badnaam for Malaika Arora in Dabangg and Fevicol for Kareena Kapoor in Dabangg 2 has crooned Pinky for Priyanka the singer was told to go easy on the grunts and the groans. `