Daler, Mika patch up for Asha Bhonsle

You know what's a casting coup. Here's a musical coup, if ever there was one. The two warring brothers, Daler Mehndi and Mika Singh, came together for the first time to lend their voices for the Suniel Shetty and Arshad Warsi starrer, Mr White Mr Black. It is a well-known fact that Daler and Mika are at loggerheads and hardly exghange a word between them, leave alone pleasantries.

So, how did it happen? Said music director Shamir Tandon, who roped in both the brothers in arms, "It's a big coup in the music industry since it's a known fact that both the brothers don't get along, but I convinced them." He admits much of the credit should actually go to diva Asha Bhosle as the legendary playback singer was the catalyst. "When both Daler and Mika came to know that they will be signing with Ashaji, they instantly agreed," admitted Tandon.

The younger Mika, with a reputation of being the black sheep of the family and who wouldn't count Rakhi Sawant as his "pappi friend", felt it was an unqualified honour for me "to sing with the legendary Asha Bhosleji and my brother Daler Paaji, who is also such an accomplished singer." He was profuse with his thanks to Shamir Tandon for giving him "this historic opportunity to sing with such living legends".

Big brother Daler was also lion-hearted about the coming together and on his part ecstatic about the event, to get a chance to sing with the legendary singer and his brother, and for his favourite actor Suniel Shetty.

Daler was embroiled in a daring controversy recently when he went to court against giants Yash Raj Films and others, claiming he was elbowed out after doing the Jhoom Barabaar Jhoom title song, picturised on Amitabh Bachchan. He wasn't bothered about the consequences then, for his take was that he wasn't dependent on Bollywood for his livelihood and fame, anyway. Daler had also done an item number with Amitabh Bachchan years ago, in Mrityudata, Sadhe naal ravoge to aish karoge.

"I sing very few songs in Bollywood," Daler was quoted as having said, "but when I came to know that it was for a film featuring Suniel Shetty, I was very happy because he is a thorough gentleman and I respect him a lot. Within 24 hours I flew down to Mumbai and was happy to hear the tune composed by Shamir and written by Shabir Ahmed."

Asha Bhosle okay; Suniel Shetty okay; Shamir Tandon okay. That makes it okay to sing with Mika, too. Is that what singing a different tune is all about? Or is this music therapy?