'Mashooqa' singer defends Pritam Chakraborty amidst plagiarism claims: 'Completely baseless'
Mumbai, May 23
As the "Cocktail 2" track "Mashooqa" continues to spark controversy over claims that it resembles the 1993 Italian song 'Se So Arrubate A Nonna' by duo Bibi & Coco, singer Raghav Chaitanya has come out in support of Pritam Chakraborty, calling the plagiarism allegations "completely baseless."
Chaitanya, who has lent his vocals for the number picturised on Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon, penned a note in support of Pritam saying that he feels it it's important to address the ongoing speculation directly.
He wrote on the note shared on Instagram: "There has been a lot of conversation around the song Mashooqa and I feel it's important to address the ongoing speculation directly. The allegations of plagiarism against Pritam da are completely baseless."
As someone who has sung the song and been closely associated with its creative process, Chaitanya said that he "can confidently say that Mashooqa is an original composition."
"In music, certain melodic movements or motifs can occasionally evoke familiarity because there are only so many ways emotions can be expressed musically. A motivic similarity does not amount to copying or plagiarism," he added.
He said that to call "Mashooqa" an inspired track is "inaccurate".
Revealing why, he mentioned: "To call this song inspired by another track is itself inaccurate, because the composition, arrangement, emotion and treatment of Mashooqa are entirely its own."
"Pritam da has contributed immensely to Indian music for decades, and reducing creative coincidence to plagiarism undermines the integrity and hard work of everyone involved. I would urge listeners to experience the song in its entirety before jumping to conclusions based on short clips or online comparisons."
"There is already so much negativity in the world, lets please spread some love," Chaitanya concluded.
"Cocktail 2" is set to release in the cinema halls on June 19.
Directed by Homi Adajania, the movie is believed to be a spiritual sequel to the 2012 hit "Cocktail", which featured Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Diana Penty as the lead.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Raghav Chaitanya is absolutely right! As someone who studied music theory, most songs share similar chord progressions. It's like saying all love songs are plagiarized because they use the same notes. Plus Pritam's track record speaks for itself - he's one of the most original composers in Bollywood today. #SupportOriginalMusic
I've heard both songs side-by-side. The Italian track has a completely different vibe - it's more folk/comedy while Mashooqa is a romantic number. People just love creating controversy for clicks. Yeh log kuch bhi karte hain attention ke liye! 🙄
While I agree that many plagiarism claims are overblown, I think we need to have an honest conversation about how Bollywood composers often take inspiration from global music. But Pritam da is not the villain here - he's always credited his influences when due. Let's focus on the music itself.
Raghav Chaitanya is a true artist - he's not just defending his song, but the integrity of music creation. In Indian classical tradition, ragas have specific melodic structures, and two compositions can share phrases without being copies. This is basic music education, guys! 🎶
I'm tired of these baseless controversies every time a new song releases. The Italian song has 2 million views on YouTube while Mashooqa already has 50 million - clearly audiences have decided. Let the music speak for itself instead of creating negativity. 💯
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.