Composer Pritam has hit back at plagiarism allegations surrounding a “suspenseful” song from “Cocktail 2”, describing his critics as “self-appointed music detectives” and an “unpaid PR team”. The song has been compared to the 1993 Italian hit “Se So Arrubate A Nonna”. While many accused Pritam of copying, fans argued that it was just sampling.
Popular music composer Pritam has spoken out against plagiarism charges linked to ‘Mashooqa’, a newly released song from ‘Cocktail 2’, expressing his frustration over the criticism circulating on social media.
Shortly after the song was dropped, controversy erupted online when several users claimed that its melody bore a striking resemblance to the 1993 Italian number “Se So Arrubate A Nonna”. The backlash did not stop there, as the situation also prompted netizens to search and reconsider previous plagiarism charges that were previously leveled against the composer.
Pritam breaks his silence on Instagram
Pritam took to his Instagram story to address the growing uproar, and he didn’t hold back when he hit those pointing fingers at him.
“Each release of my songs comes with a group of self-proclaimed musical detectives, who have created a new genre called ‘imaginary similarities’. Same people, same ‘inspired by’ thesis… Boss, at this point, you’re an unpaid PR team… I just want to say guys, not cool,” he wrote.
Online comparisons put Pritam in the spotlight
Pritam’s reaction follows a surge in online chatter about the song, with users making comparisons between the “suspenseful” song and the Italian track, raising questions about whether the melody was borrowed directly from the original song.
A Reddit post raises a storm over Pritam’s ‘Mashooqa’
The controversy erupted when a Reddit user posted side-by-side videos of “Interesting” and the original 1993 Italian track, highlighting what they believe are clear musical similarities between the two. The clip quickly gained traction, with a wave of social media users arguing that the two songs sound strikingly similar. Many did not hold back in their criticism of both the track and its composer. “It’s still a boring song even after Pritam copied it,” one person wrote.
Another commented, “Bollywood copying again?” A third said: It is the same.
Fans defend Pritam, calling him sampling and not copying
At the same time, a section of Pritam’s supporters responded to these accusations, distinguishing between inspiration and outright imitation. One Reddit user wrote: “This is called sampling, not stealing/copying. This is when you take the main beat of a song and put other instruments on it with changed lyrics. It’s a very common concept in the music industry.”
“Pitbull, Taylor Swift, Kanye and many artists also sample the songs,” suggesting that the composer may have simply built on the Italian track rather than uploading it without credit.
All about Pritam’s ‘Interesting’ song and the Italian song
“Interesting” is a composition by Pritam, penned by lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya and voiced by Raghav Chaitanya and Mehmood Ruaa Kay, with Italian verses written and performed by Mehmood. The song’s visuals follow the characters of Kriti and Shahid as they journey through different destinations, gradually falling in love with each other.
On the other hand, the song that has been compared to “Se So Arrubate A Nonna” is a Neapolitan number by the Italian duo Bibi and Coco, which was released in 1993 as part of their album “Le Origini Vol.”
2′. Its title loosely translates to “Kidnapped Granny” in Neapolitan dialect. Although the song failed to make a significant mark globally upon its release, it has since built a loyal following and gained cult status over the years.
Pritam’s ‘Cocktail 2’ is slated to release on June 19
Directed by Homi Adajania, Cocktail 2 is a follow-up to the 2012 blockbuster Cocktail, which starred Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty. The film will hit theaters on June 19. Returning to social media, the controversy over “Mushuka” shows no signs of ending, with users divided between those who feel the song is a copy and those who believe it is simply inspired by “Se So Arrubate A Nonna.” Amidst all the hype, Pritam remained firm on his stand and made it clear that he strongly disagrees with the plagiarism allegations thrown his way.
