Are item songs losing their fizz in Bollywood?

That was Babli. Now PeeCee is Pinky — her latest item girl avatar in the soon to be released Zanjeer redux. As Pinky,Priyanka Chopra has done a complete turnaround. She’s gyrating to a song,which is worded thus: Arey paisa phenk,tamasha dekh,Naachegi Pinky full to late…. Mumbai ki na Dilli waalon ki… Pinky hai paise waalon ki…The clincher however is: Mera network kabhi fail hota nahi.. Har mohalle mein haaye mera tower khada.

Objectionable,anyone? Double meaning,anyone?

Different rules for Babli and different for Pinky. Is it just a case of following the creative brief of her latest film? Or was the Babli lyric-sanitisation in reality just a publicity gimmick? These are questions that Priyanka can answer best.

Stars end up saying and supporting a lot of stuff just before a film’s release,which they conveniently forget soon after. Everything here is project to project.

Shah Rukh Khan broke his steadfast no-kiss clause for Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Incidentally,his co-star Katrina Kaif was also initially averse to on-screen lip locks,a rule she broke with Hrithik Roshan in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and then with SRK.

Abhay Deol didn’t want to endorse products but he seems to have changed his mind. Nothing is forever in B-town.

Coming back to item songs,Priyanka is currently shooting another one for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela.

Is it me or has the item song trend gone cold? Which was the last big item hit? Fevicol? Well,it wasn’t Munni…,Chikni chameli? But it wasn’t Sheila ki jawani,Babli,Laila,Ghaagra,Thank God It’s Friday,Kaafirana never caught on.

Ironically,the biggest chartbusters of this season are picturised on the film’s leads and not the item specialist. Case in point: Badtameez dil,Dilliwaali girlfriend,Lungi dance.

So dare I say this then? Is the item passé?

harneet.singh@expressindia.com