Music composer Pritam Chakraborty has responded sharply after fresh plagiarism allegations surfaced online over Mashooqa, a song from the upcoming film Cocktail 2. The track recently became the centre of debate on social media, where several users claimed it sounded similar to the 1993 Italian song Se So Arrubate A Nonna.
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Pritam Says Critics Have Become His ‘Unpaid PR’
Reacting to the controversy, Pritam shared a strongly worded note on Instagram stories late on Wednesday night. The composer expressed frustration over repeatedly facing allegations every time a new song of his is released.
“Every single of my song release comes with set of self-appointed music detectives, who have created a new genre called ‘imaginary similarities’. Same people, same 'inspired by' thesis. Boss, at this point you are my unpaid PR team. I just want to say guys NOT NICE,” he wrote.
Social Media Debate Around Mashooqa
The conversation first picked up pace after a Reddit user shared side-by-side clips of Mashooqa and the 1993 Italian number, pointing to what many felt were striking similarities in the melody. Soon, social media platforms were flooded with mixed reactions.
The original song, Se So Arrubate A Nonna, was released in 1993 by Italian duo Bibi and Coco as part of their album Le Origini Vol. 2. The Neapolitan track, whose title translates to “The Kidnapped Grandma”, was not considered a major international hit at the time of release. However, over the years, it has developed a cult following among listeners.
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Composer Has Faced Similar Allegations Before
This is not the first time the National Award-winning composer has found himself amid claims of copied music. Earlier in his career too, Pritam faced repeated accusations that some of his tracks were inspired by international songs.
Among the tracks frequently discussed in such debates is Pehli Nazar Mein from Race. The song has long been compared online to the Korean track Sarang Hae Yo by Kim Hyung Sup, which was released in 2005, while the Bollywood version arrived three years later in 2008.
Another song often brought into these conversations is Zara Zara Touch Me from Race. The track has widely been described online as heavily inspired by the 2004 Chinese-language song Zhu Lin Shen Chu (Deep in the Bamboo Grove) by Taiwanese-American singer Wang Leehom.