Yohani: I have nothing against remakes, good way of making new generation hear old songs

Yohani shot to instant fame with Manike Mage Hithe, a Sri Lankan song, which currently holds more than 200 million views on YouTube. And even if we don’t gauge it’s success by solely the views, the song found itself being rehashed for a Bollywood film, Thank God recently too. It was filmed on actors Sidharth Malhotra and Nora Fatehi.

Ask what’s her take on recreations and rehashes and if she okay with them and she agrees. “It is acceptable. I have nothing against remakes. My song has been remade. I think they are a good way of making the younger generation to also listen to older songs. Otherwise they wouldn’t even know that the song exists. It might not be everyone’s experience, it is subjective. But I don’t have a problem with this, also they retained me in the remake,” smiles the 29-year-old, who has shifted to Mumbai for a full-fledged music career, “Look where my song has got me. I have the chance to connect with a new base of listeners, and I am also working on more Hindi songs.”

The overnight fame she gained after Manike... has been phenomenal. Her life changed completely. She admits it has been a memorable journey till now. “It has been a very long one in such a short time. I am so grateful that from just being a home cover, to the song now being in a Bollywood film... the fact that I have changed cities speaks for itself, how far the song has come,” exclaims Yohani.

And she says that the Hindi industry has been very welcoming, especially since she moved to Mumbai. “I don’t miss home that much because people here are really nice. The traffic is a bit of a problem in Mumbai though, but the food is amazing. I love it,” she adds