Mahira Sharma on Ranaji 2.0: 'Wanted to bring my own energy'
Synopsis
Mahira Sharma steps into one of Bollywood’s most nostalgic tracks, with Remo D’Souza’s choreography and Tanishk Bagchi’s production giving 'Mujhko Ranaji Maaf Karna' a contemporary makeover — while Tips Music bets that Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun’s original vocals are untouchable enough to anchor the whole thing.
Key Takeaways
Tips Music has released Ranaji 2.0 , a recreation of the iconic 'Mujhko Ranaji Maaf Karna' from Shah Rukh Khan ’s 1995 film 'Karan Arjun' .
Mahira Sharma features in the new video, describing it as an effort to ‘bring her own energy’ while honouring the original.
Choreography is by Remo D'Souza ; music production by Tanishk Bagchi .
The original vocals of Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun have been retained in Ranaji 2.0 .
The original track featured actress Mamta Kulkarni and remains one of the most recognisable Bollywood songs of the 1990s .
Actress Mahira Sharma has spoken about the pressures and excitement of recreating 'Mujhko Ranaji Maaf Karna', the beloved track from Shah Rukh Khan's cult classic 'Karan Arjun', for the newly released 'Ranaji 2.0'. The recreation, unveiled by Tips Music, brings together choreographer Remo D'Souza and music producer Tanishk Bagchi, while preserving the original vocals of Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun that made the song a generational favourite.
Mahira Sharma on Taking on an Iconic Song
Sharma was candid about the weight of stepping into a track already loaded with nostalgia. “There’s always a little pressure when you’re associated with such an iconic song because people already have so many memories attached to it,” she said. Her approach, she added, was to honour the original while carving out her own space within it: “I just wanted to bring my own energy to it while staying true to its vibe. The music, the choreography, and the overall look of the video all come together beautifully, and I hope people have as much fun watching it as we had making it.”
Remo D'Souza on the Choreography Challenge
For Remo D'Souza, the task was to make the visuals feel contemporary without unsettling the song’s familiar rhythm. “Dance has evolved so much over the years, and that’s what made Ranaji 2.0 exciting,” he said. “The challenge was to create visuals that feel fresh and entertaining while matching the energy of a song everyone already knows. We wanted people to enjoy watching it just as much as they enjoy listening to it, whether they’ve loved the original for years or are discovering it for the first time.”
Tanishk Bagchi on Protecting the Song's Soul
Tanishk Bagchi, who has built a reputation for high-profile Bollywood recreations, described the responsibility as preserving a legacy. “When you’re working on a song that’s so iconic, the biggest responsibility is to protect its soul,” he said. “The melody and vocals already have a legacy of their own, so my focus was on giving it a fresh sound without taking away what people love about it. I wanted it to feel current, but still instantly remind listeners why this song became a classic in the first place.” Crucially, the iconic vocals of Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun have been retained in the new version.
About the Original Track
The original 'Mujhko Ranaji Maaf Karna' featured actress Mamta Kulkarni and was part of the 1995 blockbuster 'Karan Arjun', directed by Rakesh Roshan. Sung by Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun, the track became one of the most recognisable numbers of the decade. Recreations of songs from that era have seen a consistent resurgence in Bollywood, with producers banking on built-in nostalgia to drive streams and social engagement.
What to Expect from Ranaji 2.0
Tips Music has positioned Ranaji 2.0 as an upbeat, visually driven release aimed at both longtime fans of the original and younger audiences encountering the song for the first time. The combination of Bagchi’s production, D’Souza’s choreography, and Sharma’s screen presence is being flagged as the track’s core draw. How audiences receive the balance between nostalgia and novelty will determine whether the recreation joins the shortlist of successful Bollywood remakes or draws the familiar backlash that greets reworkings of beloved classics.
Point of View
Refresh the visuals, and cast a social-media-native face to drive discovery. The formula works often enough to keep being used, but it sidesteps the harder question — whether Bollywood’s recreation cycle is running out of canonical songs with sufficient nostalgia capital. Tanishk Bagchi’s candour about ‘protecting the soul’ is telling: the industry knows the backlash risk is real, yet the streaming economics make these releases hard to resist. Mahira Sharma’s casting signals a deliberate pivot toward younger, digitally active audiences, which is where the real battle for streams is being fought.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is featured in Ranaji 2.0?
Actress Mahira Sharma features in the Ranaji 2.0 music video. The track is choreographed by Remo D'Souza and produced by Tanishk Bagchi under the Tips Music label.
Does Ranaji 2.0 use the original vocals?
Yes. The iconic vocals of Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun from the original 'Mujhko Ranaji Maaf Karna' have been retained in Ranaji 2.0. Tanishk Bagchi has added a fresh musical arrangement around them without replacing the original singers.
What was the original 'Mujhko Ranaji Maaf Karna'?
'Mujhko Ranaji Maaf Karna' was a song from the 1995 Bollywood blockbuster 'Karan Arjun', starring Shah Rukh Khan. Sung by Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun and featuring actress Mamta Kulkarni, it became one of the decade's most memorable tracks.
Why did Mahira Sharma feel pressure recreating the song?
Mahira Sharma said the pressure came from the song's deep emotional resonance with audiences. 'People already have so many memories attached to it,' she noted, adding that her goal was to bring her own energy while staying true to the original's spirit.
