Amaal Malik Reveals He Had to Fight to Get Sonu Nigam on ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’; Says He Almost Got Removed from the Film

Renowned music composer Amaal Malik has revealed the challenges he faced in getting legendary singer Sonu Nigam to perform the song “Mere Dholna 3.0” for the film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. In a recent interview, Malik explained that both the actor and marketing team initially opposed the idea, and he had to “fight” to ensure Nigam’s inclusion.

The discussion comes in the wake of singer Arijit Singh announcing a temporary break from playback singing, sparking debates about the evolving music industry. Malik, who also participated in Bigg Boss 19, spoke candidly about the politics, marketing pressures, and royalty issues in Bollywood’s music industry.

“Even legends face scrutiny”

Malik said he carefully selects artists for his compositions, but the team behind Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 reportedly did not want Sonu Nigam on the track. “They didn’t want us to collaborate with someone as talented and legendary as Sonu Nigam. Even someone of his stature has to go through tests. You can imagine where that leaves us composers,” Malik said.

He added that suggestions kept coming from the actor’s team, marketing staff, and managers, who proposed alternatives such as Arijit Singh or Vishal Mishra. “While my first choice was among these three, I wanted a more powerful voice, and I trusted Sonu Nigam could deliver,” Malik noted.

Sonu Nigam records song in 45 minutes

Malik lauded Nigam’s dedication, revealing that the singer recorded the challenging track in just 45 minutes. “This is arguably the toughest song I have recomposed, based on the original by Pritam. We had the studio booked from 7 PM to midnight. Sonu sir came directly from a show in the US and completed the song by around 11 PM. Any classical musician would have taken at least 5 hours,” he said.

After the recording, Malik said everyone praised the song, but during the process, there were discussions about removing him from the film. “While the team later appreciated the track, during the recording process, they were ready to remove me from the project for not following their suggestions. This is something composers face often,” he explained.

‘Mere Dholna’ through the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise

The first Bhool Bhulaiyaa film (2007), directed by Priyadarshan, featured “Ami Je Tomar” sung by Shreya Ghoshal and M.G. Sreekumar. The sequel (2022) had Shreya Ghoshal and Arijit Singh on the same track. In Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (2024), starring Kartik Aaryan, Tripti Dimri, Vidya Balan, and Madhuri Dixit, Sonu Nigam took the mantle with “Mere Dholna 3.0” under the direction of Anees Bazmee.

Box office success of the franchise

The Bhool Bhulaiyaa series has consistently performed well at the box office. The first film, made on a budget of ₹32 crore, earned ₹49.11 crore. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 was made with a budget of ₹65 crore and earned ₹184.32 crore, becoming a blockbuster. The third installment, with a budget of ₹150 crore, grossed ₹260.11 crore, also achieving superhit status.