Spider-Man gets 'Haryanvi' touch with song 'Barsaat':Times when Indian songs became part of Hollywood

What happens when Spider-Man meets Haryanvi beats? You might be surprised reading about it, but it's for real. Marvel’s latest Spider-Man: Brand New Day promotional video has given a desi twist to the superhero world by featuring Banjaare’s Haryanvi song ‘Barsaat’. Hollywood and Bollywood have crossed paths many times, but every time a familiar Indian song suddenly appears in a Hollywood film or promotional campaign, it surprises the audience. How did the song get featured in the Spider-Man: Brand New Day promotional video? Ahead of the film’s release, Sony Pictures Entertainment India unveiled a special promo featuring ‘Barsaat’, an emotional track by indie Haryanvi duo Banjaare. The song was selected for a special promotional campaign for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The makers felt that Banjaare’s ‘Barsaat’ matched Peter Parker’s emotional journey after MJ forgets him in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Its themes of heartbreak, loneliness and separation fit the character’s pain, making it a suitable choice for the India-focused promo. This unexpected combination has caught the attention online, showing how Indian songs and music travel globally. Who is Banjaare? Banjaare is a Haryanvi music duo made up of cousins Sumit and Anuj from Sandwa village in Haryana’s Bhiwani district. The two developed an interest in singing from a young age and decided to pursue music seriously during the COVID-19 lockdown. The duo started their own YouTube channel and initially struggled to find success. They released five songs, but none of them gained much attention. Their sixth song, ‘Bairan’, gave them huge fame. Hollywood embraces India’s diverse musical sounds But this is not the first time a Hollywood project has turned to Indian music. Over the years, Hindi, Punjabi and other Indian-language songs have appeared in Hollywood films, trailers and promotional material. From ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ to ‘Barsaat’: India’s music travels worldwide From Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ in Inside Man to Raj Kapoor’s ‘Mera Joota Hai Japani’ in Deadpool, several iconic Indian songs have made unexpected appearances in Hollywood films and campaigns. Graphic-1 Hollywood’s desi music moments ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ used in Inside Man One of the most memorable examples came in Spike Lee’s 2006 crime thriller Inside Man, starring Denzel Washington, Clive Owen and Jodie Foster. The film opens with ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’, the A.R. Rahman-composed song from the 1998 Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala-starrer Dil Se. The song was used during the opening credits, while a remix featuring Panjabi MC also appeared during the end credits. ‘Mera Joota Hai Japani’ in Deadpool The film featured Raj Kapoor’s iconic ‘Mera Joota Hai Japani’ from Shree 420. The song can be heard while Deadpool interacts with his Indian-origin taxi driver, Dopinder, played by Karan Soni. It was also used at the beginning and end of the film. According to a report at the time, director Tim Miller had first heard the song in a pub in New Zealand and liked it so much that he eventually decided to use it in Deadpool. The cast and crew reportedly liked it as well. ‘Jaan Pehchan Ho’ in Ghost World Another interesting example came even earlier with the 2001 film Ghost World, starring Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson. The film uses Mohammed Rafi’s ‘Jaan Pehchan Ho’, originally from the 1965 Hindi film Gumnaam. The song’s energetic, slightly surreal quality fitted the film’s unconventional tone, making it more than just a random musical reference. ‘Chamma Chamma’ in Moulin Rouge! Indian music also found its way into Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 musical Moulin Rouge!. It was another example of how Indian rhythms and musical arrangements could fit naturally into a Western production built around spectacle and performance. ‘Mundian Tu Bach Ke’ in The Dictator Punjabi music has also made a strong mark internationally. Panjabi MC’s ‘Mundian Tu Bach Ke’ became a global hit and was later used in the promotional campaign for Sacha Baron Cohen’s 2012 comedy The Dictator. The track’s high-energy sound made it a natural choice for the film’s irreverent marketing. ‘Jimmy Jimmy’ in You Don’t Mess with the Zohan The song’s tune was used in Adam Sandler’s 2008 comedy You Don’t Mess with the Zohan. Its instantly recognisable disco sound fitted the film’s exaggerated comedy and action sequences. The inclusion was particularly nostalgic for Indian audiences who grew up listening to the original. Indian music in The Accidental Husband The 2008 romantic comedy The Accidental Husband, starring Uma Thurman, Colin Firth and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, went even further by incorporating several Indian songs. The film featured ‘Chalka Chalka Re’ from Saathiya, ‘Mujhe Rang De’ from Thakshak and ‘Swasame Swasame’ from the Tamil film Thenali. Indian music was woven into scenes involving an Indian family, celebrations and weddings. ‘Urvasi Urvasi’ in Lion Dev Patel’s Lion also featured Indian music. A version of ‘Urvasi Urvasi’, originally from the Tamil film Kadhalan, appears in the 2016 film. The film’s connection with India made the inclusion feel especially relevant, while also introducing a popular Indian track to audiences unfamiliar with its original context. The journey from ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ and ‘Mera Joota Hai Japani’ to a Haryanvi song being used for a Spider-Man promotional campaign shows how dramatically the global reach of Indian music has expanded.