Copied hindi music List

Hindi Song: Haan Haan Yeh Pyaar Hai (Dillagi)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You (Frankie Valli)
Note: Direct lift from original, but sounds beautiful in Hindi.

Hindi Song: Dil Le Le Lena (Auzaar)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Macarena (Los Del Rio)
Note: For all it’s worth, Malik admits in the beginning of the
song that it’s a copy.

Hindi Song: Dil Maka Dina (Dhaal)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Macarena (Los Del Rio)
Note: Again?

Hindi Song: Tumne Jo Kaha (Laawaris)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Barbie Girl (Aqua)

Hindi Song: Koi Nahin Tere Jaisa (Keemat)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Cotton Eye Joe (Rednex)

Hindi Song: Tumhe Kaise Main Bataaoon (Dastak)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: The Windmills Of Your Mind (The Thomas Crown Affair)

Hindi Song: Paayal Meri Jaadu (Rajkumar)
Music Director: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Copied From: Faith (George Michael)

Hindi Song: Na Tum Bolo (Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: A Whole New World (Aladdin)

Hindi Song: Aisa Milan (Hameshaa)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: The Phantom Of The Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber)
Note: I find the Phantom song to be a much better
composition with a haunting tune.

Hindi Song: Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaaye (Jurm)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Five Hundred Miles (Peter, Paul, & Mary)

Hindi Song: Jaane Mujhe Kya Hua (Baazi)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Fur Elise (Beethoven)

Hindi Song: Itna Na Mujhse Tu Pyar Badha(Chhaya)
Music Director: Salil Chowdhury
Copied From: Symphony No. 40 (Mozart)
Note: Indication that “inspired” tunes are nothing new in Hindi music.

Hindi Song: Chehra Tera Chehra (Daag – The Fire)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Theme from Titanic
Note: Stupid choice.

Hindi Song: Tum Kya Jaano (Aashiq)
Music Director: Sanjeev-Darshan
Copied From: Theme from The Godfather
Note: Another straight lift, but Sanjeev-Darshan’s style gives it an edge
over the original.

Hindi Song: Koi Nahin Aisa (Dillagi)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Mony Mony (Tommy James and The Shondells)
Note: Again, a complete lift.

Hindi Song: Dil Dil Dil (Ittefaq)
Music Director: Dilip Sen-Sameer Sen
Copied From: La Copa De La Vida (Ricky Martin)

Hindi Song: Tera Gussa (Kareeb)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: The Happy Birthday Song

Hindi Song: Tu Woh Tu Hai (Beqaabu)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Theme from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Note: Sounds terrible when sung.

Hindi Song: Suno Zara (Bada Din)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: You Needed Me (Anne Murray)
Note: Complete lift; when they copy, Jatin-Lalit tend to go all the way with it.

Hindi Song: Aashiq Deewana Hoon (Afsana Pyar Ka)
Music Director: Bappi Lahiri
Copied From: La Bamba (Ritchie Valens)

Hindi Song: Ae Mama Haan Bhaanje (Silsila Hai Pyar Ka)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Dr. Jones (Aqua)
Note: The yodeling part from the Aqua song is copied with no reservations.

Hindi Song: Tirchi Topiwaale (Tridev)
Music Director: Viju Shah
Copied From: The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You (Miami Sound Machine)

Hindi Song: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (C.I.D.)
Music Director: O.P. Nayyar
Copied From: Oh My Darling Clementine (Unknown source)
Note: Where do they come up with this stuff?

Hindi Song: Main Teri Hoon Jaanam (Khoon Bhari Maang)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Theme from Chariots of Fire
Note: Again, sounds horrid when sung.

Hindi Song: Mil Gaya (Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin)
Music Director: R.D. Burman
Copied From: Mama Mia (ABBA)

Hindi Song: Chim Chimni (Ghoonghat)
Music Director: Anand Raaj Anand
Copied From: Chim Chimney (Mary Poppins)
Note: Hmm…

Hindi Song: Kya Kehna (Kya Kehna)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Oh Carol (Paul Anka)
Note: Both songs work for me.

Hindi Song: Mere Rang Mein (Maine Pyar Kiya)
Music Director: Raam Laxman
Copied From: The Final Countdown (Europe)
Note: Only the music of Mere Rang Mein is lifted from The Final Countdown.

Hindi Song: Aate Jaate (Maine Pyar Kiya)
Music Director: Raam Laxman
Copied From: I Just Called To Say I Love You (Stevie Wonder)

Hindi Song: Jhilmil Sitaaron Ne Kaha (Khote Sikkey)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid)

Hindi Song: Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen (Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen)
Music Director: Anand-Milind
Copied From: Bailamos (Enrique Iglesias)

Hindi Song: We Love Rocky (Aflatoon)
Music Director: Dilip Sen-Sameer Sen
Copied From: We Will Rock You (Queen)
Note: Sticking English lyrics in Hindi songs is NEVER a good idea.

Hindi Song: Chura Liya Hai Tumne (Yaadon Ki Baraat)
Music Director: R.D. Burman
Copied From: If It’s Tuesday This Must Be Belgium (Walter Scharf)
Note: R.D. Burman did a nice job of altering the song,
but the sense of “influence” is definitely there.

Hindi Song: Himmat Kabhi Na Todenge (Major Saab)
Music Director: Anand Raaj Anand
Copied From: U.S. Army marching song
Note: I find this to be one of the most inane instances of copying yet!

Hindi Song: Paagalpan Chha Gaya (Jaanam)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: And I Love Her (Beatles)
Note: It’s interesting how Anu Malik always adds his unique touch even to his
copied songs, making them often hard to decipher.

Hindi Song: Teri Chaahat Ke Siva (Jaanam)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: El Condor Pasa (Simon & Garfunkel)
Note: I also noticed that the starting of El Condor Pasa also sounds a lot
like “Taarein Hain Baaraati” from Malik’s later album, Virasat.

Hindi Song: Maari Gayi Pyaar Mein (Jaanam)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: I Am Sixteen and My Favorite Things (The Sound Of Music);
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling (The Righteous Brothers)
Note: Some of the background music is inspired by My Favorite Things.

Hindi Song: Dole Dole Dil (Baazi)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Come September (Theme)
Note: Another copy of the Come September tune is Nazrein Mili (Raja)
by Nadeem-Shravan.

Hindi Song: Aisa Zakhm Diya (Akele Hum Akele Tum)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Sweet Child In Time (Deep Purple)
Note: The opening and closing portions of the Hindi song are inspired.

Hindi Song: Dil Mera Churaaya Kyoon (Akele Hum Akele Tum)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Last Christmas (Wham)
Note: The funniest thing is that in the movie, Aamir Khan’s character
sells this tune to another musician, and everyone makes a big
deal about “stealing” credit for another’s work.

Hindi Song: Tu Waaqif Nahin (Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Fernando (ABBA)
Note: Only the main refrain is inspired; no harm done.

Hindi Song: Sun Sun Sun Barsaat Ki Dhun (Sir)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Listen To The Sound Of The Rain (Jose Feliciano)

Hindi Song: Ladna Jhagadna (Duplicate)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: A-Tisket A-Tasket (Children’s song)
Note: Wow.

Hindi Song: Ek Sharaarat Hone Ko Hai (Duplicate)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Slip And Slide (Laura Allen)
Note: Only the “la lai lai” tune is copied.

Hindi Song: Jeena Pyaar Se Jeena (Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera Ghar)
Music Director: Anand-Milind
Copied From: Nina Pretty Ballerina (ABBA)
Note: Direct lift; ABBA seems to be a frequent victim.

Hindi Song: Baraana De (Insaaf)
Music Director: Anand-Milind
Copied From: Paranue (Serapis Bey)
Note: They even rhyme!

Hindi Song: Mujhe Neend Na Aaye (Dil)
Music Director: Anand-Milind
Copied From: Chunni Ud Ud Jaaye (Alaap – UK band)

Hindi Song: Hari Om Hari (Pyaara Dushman)
Music Director: Bappi Lahiri
Copied From: One Way Ticket (Eruption)

Hindi Song: Koi Yahan Naache Naache(Disco Dancer)
Music Director: Bappi Lahiri
Copied From: Video Killed The Radio Star (The Buggles)
Note: One part of the song is copied.

Hindi Song: Yeh Vaada Hai (Raju Chacha)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Day By Day (Godspell)

Hindi Song: Jaana Suno Hum (Khamoshi)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Bring The Wine (Paul Anka)
Note: Note for note.

Hindi Song: Koi Mil Gaya (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Take That Look Off Your Face (Song And Dance)
Note: The part when the title of the song is sung.

Hindi Song: Yunhi Kat Jaayega (Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke)
Music Director: Nadeem-Shravan
Copied From: Lovely Lady Of Arcadia (Demis Roussos)

Hindi Song: O Mere Sapnon Ka (Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin)
Music Director: Nadeem-Shravan
Copied From: Bachelor Boy (Cliff Richard)

Hindi Song: Pehli Baar Mile Hain (Saajan)
Music Director: Nadeem-Shravan
Copied From: Solitude Standing (Suzanne Vega)
Note: Pretty cleverly done.

Hindi Song: Laaoon Kahan Se (Jaane Jigar)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Hotel California (Eagles)

Hindi Song: Jai Kaali (Karan Arjun)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: It’s All Right (East 17)
Note: That’s just pathetic.

Hindi Song: Haseena Gori Gori (Tarazu)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: In The Summertime (Shaggy)
Note: I don’t think he even tried to hide this one.

Hindi Song: Chaand Sitaare (Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Voices (Vangelis)
Note: Brace yourself; you’re about to see Rajesh Roshan’s ugly
history of blatantly stealing from Vangelis for his themes.

Hindi Song: Badan Judaa Hote (Koyla)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Conquest Of Paradise (Vangelis)
Note: Again, the recurring humming theme in Koyla is a copy.

Hindi Song: Humko Pyaar Hai (Moksha)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Messages (Vangelis)
Note: Why doesn’t he just hire Vangelis to compose for him?

Hindi Song: Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke (Old)
Music Director: Ravi
Copied From: The Breeze And I (Al Stillman and Ernesto Lecuona)

Hindi Song: Jeevan Ke Safar Mein (Munimji)
Music Director: S.D. Burman
Copied From: The Mexican Hat Dance
Note: At least the Hindi song has a completely different aura.

Hindi Song: Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (Title)
Music Director: Sandeep Chowta
Copied From: Exorcist II: The Heretic (Theme)
Note: Et tu, Sandeep?

Hindi Song: Roundhe Hai (Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya)
Music Director: W. Killar & Sandeep Chowta
Copied From: Vampire Hunters (Bram Stoker’s Dracula)
Note: Why did he need help from someone else just to copy a tune?

Hindi Song: Kambakth Ishq (Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya)
Music Director: Sandeep Chowta
Copied From: Eireann (Afro Celt Sound System)
Note: Interesting story here; Chowta was accused of using an
unoriginal beat, which he defended by saying that he took his
beat from a public website. But what about the TUNE
that he lifted from this song?

Hindi Song: Yeh Pyaar Hai (Indian)
Music Director: Anand Raaj Anand
Copied From: Ojos Asi (Shakira)

Hindi Song: Gupt Gupt (Gupt)
Music Director: Viju Shah
Copied From: Deep Forest (Deep Forest)
Note: Hilarious.

Hindi Song: Babuji Dheere Chalna (Aar Paar)
Music Director: O.P. Nayyar
Copied From: Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps(Doris Day)
Note: Nayyar did good work on this one.

Hindi Song: Mehbooba Mehbooba (Sholay)
Music Director: R.D. Burman
Copied From: Say You Love Me (Demis Roussos)
Note: Both songs make you wince equally.

Hindi Song: Tumse Milke (Parinda)
Music Director: R.D. Burman
Copied From: When I Need You (Leo Sayer)

Hindi Song: Kaisa Tera Pyaar (Love Story)
Music Director: R.D. Burman
Copied From: I Have A Dream (ABBA)
Note: As usual, the Hindi song is infinitely better.

Hindi Song: Aa Ab Laut Chalen (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai)
Music Director: Shankar Jaikishan
Copied From: Ciao Ciao Bambina (Domenico Modugno)

Hindi Song: Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle (Aa Gale Lag Jaa)
Music Director: R.D. Burman
Copied From: The Yellow Rose Of Texas (Elvis Presley)
Note: Sounds like a crazy idea, but it actually worked pretty well.

Hindi Song: Neela Dupatta Peela Suit (Hameshaa)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: All I Wanna Say (Michael Jackson)
Note: The beats and opening portion are inspired.

Hindi Song: Love Hua (Jaanam Samjha Karo)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Angelo (Brotherhood Of Man)
Note: Another case of “good” copying.

Hindi Song: Neend Churaayi Meri (Ishq)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Sending All My Love (Tolga)
Note: I think freestyle music sounds nice when sung in Hindi;
it should be done more often.

Hindi Song: Kuch Kasmein (Aankhen)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Nights In White Satin (Moody Blues)
Note: So Jatin-Lalit’s self-proclaimed “new style” is
to copy different tunes?

Hindi Song: Tinak Tin Taana (Mann)
Music Director: Sanjeev-Darshan
Copied From: Yang Sedang-Sedang Saja (Iwan – Malaysian)
Note: Not a shred of originality on Sanjeev-Darshan’s part.

Hindi Song: I Was Made For Loving You (Jaanam Samjha Karo)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: I Was Made For Loving You (Kiss)
Note: Big surprise.

Hindi Song: Oh Jaanam (Dulhan Banoo Main Teri)
Music Director: Raam Laxman
Copied From: Frozen (Madonna)
Note: Just listen to Madonna’s pronounciation of Sanskrit shlokas
in her song “Om Shanti” and you’ll feel much better.

Hindi Song: Kimti Kimti Hai Zindagi (Criminal)
Music Director: M.M. Kreem
Copied From: Lonely Lonely Monday Morning (Snow)
Note: Ooooookay…

Hindi Song: Na Bole Tum Na Maine (Baaton Baaton Mein)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore)
Note: I’m glad to see that Rajesh Roshan finds the American Civil
War to be so romantic.

Hindi Song: Marne Ke Darr Se (Jurm)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: La Isla Bonita (Madonna)
Note: Only the first line of the Madonna song is copied, but it’s
pretty obvious.

Thanks to eragon for the link.

Hindi Song: Haan Haan Yeh Pyaar Hai (Dillagi)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You (Frankie Valli)
Note: Direct lift from original, but sounds beautiful in Hindi.

Hindi Song: Dil Le Le Lena (Auzaar)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Macarena (Los Del Rio)
Note: For all it’s worth, Malik admits in the beginning of the
song that it’s a copy.

Hindi Song: Dil Maka Dina (Dhaal)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Macarena (Los Del Rio)
Note: Again?

Hindi Song: Tumne Jo Kaha (Laawaris)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Barbie Girl (Aqua)

Hindi Song: Koi Nahin Tere Jaisa (Keemat)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Cotton Eye Joe (Rednex)

Hindi Song: Tumhe Kaise Main Bataaoon (Dastak)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: The Windmills Of Your Mind (The Thomas Crown Affair)

Hindi Song: Paayal Meri Jaadu (Rajkumar)
Music Director: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Copied From: Faith (George Michael)

Hindi Song: Na Tum Bolo (Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: A Whole New World (Aladdin)

Hindi Song: Aisa Milan (Hameshaa)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: The Phantom Of The Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber)
Note: I find the Phantom song to be a much better
composition with a haunting tune.

Hindi Song: Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaaye (Jurm)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Five Hundred Miles (Peter, Paul, & Mary)

Hindi Song: Jaane Mujhe Kya Hua (Baazi)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Fur Elise (Beethoven)

Hindi Song: Itna Na Mujhse Tu Pyar Badha(Chhaya)
Music Director: Salil Chowdhury
Copied From: Symphony No. 40 (Mozart)
Note: Indication that “inspired” tunes are nothing new in Hindi music.

Hindi Song: Chehra Tera Chehra (Daag – The Fire)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Theme from Titanic
Note: Stupid choice.

Hindi Song: Tum Kya Jaano (Aashiq)
Music Director: Sanjeev-Darshan
Copied From: Theme from The Godfather
Note: Another straight lift, but Sanjeev-Darshan’s style gives it an edge
over the original.

Hindi Song: Koi Nahin Aisa (Dillagi)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Mony Mony (Tommy James and The Shondells)
Note: Again, a complete lift.

Hindi Song: Tera Gussa (Kareeb)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: The Happy Birthday Song

Hindi Song: Tu Woh Tu Hai (Beqaabu)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Theme from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Note: Sounds terrible when sung.

Hindi Song: Suno Zara (Bada Din)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: You Needed Me (Anne Murray)
Note: Complete lift; when they copy, Jatin-Lalit tend to go all the way with it.

Hindi Song: Main Teri Hoon Jaanam (Khoon Bhari Maang)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Theme from Chariots of Fire
Note: Again, sounds horrid when sung.

Hindi Song: Kya Kehna (Kya Kehna)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Oh Carol (Paul Anka)
Note: Both songs work for me.

Hindi Song: Mere Rang Mein (Maine Pyar Kiya)
Music Director: Raam Laxman
Copied From: The Final Countdown (Europe)
Note: Only the music of Mere Rang Mein is lifted from The Final Countdown.

Hindi Song: Aate Jaate (Maine Pyar Kiya)
Music Director: Raam Laxman
Copied From: I Just Called To Say I Love You (Stevie Wonder)

Hindi Song: Chura Liya Hai Tumne (Yaadon Ki Baraat)
Music Director: R.D. Burman
Copied From: If It’s Tuesday This Must Be Belgium (Walter Scharf)
Note: R.D. Burman did a nice job of altering the song,
but the sense of “influence” is definitely there.

Hindi Song: Himmat Kabhi Na Todenge (Major Saab)
Music Director: Anand Raaj Anand
Copied From: U.S. Army marching song
Note: I find this to be one of the most inane instances of copying yet!

Hindi Song: Dole Dole Dil (Baazi)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Come September (Theme)
Note: Another copy of the Come September tune is Nazrein Mili (Raja)
by Nadeem-Shravan.

Hindi Song: Aisa Zakhm Diya (Akele Hum Akele Tum)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Sweet Child In Time (Deep Purple)
Note: The opening and closing portions of the Hindi song are inspired.

Hindi Song: Dil Mera Churaaya Kyoon (Akele Hum Akele Tum)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Last Christmas (Wham)
Note: The funniest thing is that in the movie, Aamir Khan’s character
sells this tune to another musician, and everyone makes a big
deal about “stealing” credit for another’s work.

Hindi Song: Sun Sun Sun Barsaat Ki Dhun (Sir)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Listen To The Sound Of The Rain (Jose Feliciano)

Hindi Song: Ek Sharaarat Hone Ko Hai (Duplicate)
Music Director: Anu Malik
Copied From: Slip And Slide (Laura Allen)
Note: Only the “la lai lai” tune is copied.

Hindi Song: Mujhe Neend Na Aaye (Dil)
Music Director: Anand-Milind
Copied From: Chunni Ud Ud Jaaye (Alaap – UK band)

Hindi Song: Hari Om Hari (Pyaara Dushman)
Music Director: Bappi Lahiri
Copied From: One Way Ticket (Eruption)

Hindi Song: Koi Yahan Naache Naache(Disco Dancer)
Music Director: Bappi Lahiri
Copied From: Video Killed The Radio Star (The Buggles)
Note: One part of the song is copied.

Hindi Song: Yeh Vaada Hai (Raju Chacha)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Day By Day (Godspell)

Hindi Song: Jaana Suno Hum (Khamoshi)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Bring The Wine (Paul Anka)
Note: Note for note.

Hindi Song: Koi Mil Gaya (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai)
Music Director: Jatin-Lalit
Copied From: Take That Look Off Your Face (Song And Dance)
Note: The part when the title of the song is sung.

Hindi Song: Yunhi Kat Jaayega (Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke)
Music Director: Nadeem-Shravan
Copied From: Lovely Lady Of Arcadia (Demis Roussos)

Hindi Song: O Mere Sapnon Ka (Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin)
Music Director: Nadeem-Shravan
Copied From: Bachelor Boy (Cliff Richard)

Hindi Song: Pehli Baar Mile Hain (Saajan)
Music Director: Nadeem-Shravan
Copied From: Solitude Standing (Suzanne Vega)
Note: Pretty cleverly done.

Hindi Song: Jai Kaali (Karan Arjun)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: It’s All Right (East 17)
Note: That’s just pathetic.

Hindi Song: Haseena Gori Gori (Tarazu)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: In The Summertime (Shaggy)
Note: I don’t think he even tried to hide this one.

Hindi Song: Chaand Sitaare (Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Voices (Vangelis)
Note: Brace yourself; you’re about to see Rajesh Roshan’s ugly
history of blatantly stealing from Vangelis for his themes.

Hindi Song: Humko Pyaar Hai (Moksha)
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Copied From: Messages (Vangelis)
Note: Why doesn’t he just hire Vangelis to compose for him?

List goes on……………..
clue: Nasha ye pyar ka nasha hai (hindi)—> originally L’italiano by Cutugno

Coincidences

Listed here are what I think are strictly coincidences with reasons for why I think so. I felt it would be wrong to add them under inspiration or lifts! So the benefit of doubt goes to the composer in these cases

1
Rasta dekhe tera [Film: Humshakal]
Composer: R D Burman
The song which inspired this number is the Beatles song ‘In my life’ from their album Rubber Soul (1965). The Hindi film was released in the year 1974.
Listen to Rasta dekhe mera | In my life
Initially added under the lifted songs page for RDB, the similarity is way too small or insignificant to call it a lift.
2
Tu hi tu [Film: Kabhi na kabhi]
Composer: A R Rahman
The beginning of the song sounds so much like ‘The Scarborough Fair’ by Simon and Garfunkel!
Listen to Tu hi tu | Scarborough Fair
Interesting. The Hindi tune is pretty much carnatic in pattern and the similarity ends after the first 4 – 5 words!
3
Tara Rum Pum [Film: Doli Sajake Rakhna]
The Champs number ‘too much tequila’ is used somewhere deep inside this song by Rahman! The song is ‘tara rum pum’ from A R Rahman’s Doli sajake rakhna. For ease of listening I’ve edited the song to its relevant portion and so on, so that you get to listen to the part which resembles our tequila song, first! Now, I personally find it unlikely that Rahman sits down and decides to use the tequila song in the second line of para 2…which is why I felt it was a coincidence!
Listen to Too much tequila | Tara rum pum (starts from the relevant portion)
4
Mella Mella [Film: Vaazhkai (1984)]
There is this rather old song by Ilayaraja in the movie Vaazhkai (1984), the song, ‘mella mella’. Its a trademark masterpiece from Ilayaraja with fabulous violin preludes et all, a mesmerizing number, in short. It sounds rather similar to a song ‘Celestial soda pop’ by new-age/ synth artist Ray Lynch. The album of Ray Lynch in which you’d find this song (Deep Breakfast) came out in 1984 too! Inspired or mere coincidence? Another point to note is that the tune of Mella mella was first used as a background theme in the 1983 Kannada film, Pallavi Anupallavi by Ilayaraja (Maniratnam’s feature film debut). Considering this usage predates Celestial pop soda, the inspiration angle is clearly ruled out!
Listen to Mella mella | Celestial soda pop
5
Mera Dil Tere Liye [Film: Aashiqui (1990)]
Aashiqui’s (1990) ‘Mera dil tere liye’ has a recurring ‘O o o…’ kind of phrase that comes just after ‘…dhadaktha hai…’ that sounds amazingly close to a similar phrase in Australian singer John Farnham’s ‘You’re the voice’ (1986)! But thats it! There’s nothing common between both the songs otherwise! I got to give the benefit of doubt to Nadeem Shravan regardless of their shady track record.
Listen to Mera dil tere liye | You’re the voice
6
Mein shayar to nahin [Film: Bobby]
Let me make it clear at the outset that I’m still not very sure about this one!! I happened to listen to this Latin classic, ‘El choclo’ (called ‘Kiss of fire’ in its English version, has been sung by many people including Connie Francis and Helmut Lotti) after a really long time and I was instantly reminded of Bobby’s ‘Mein shayar to nahin’! Though I should add that the kind of inspiration (if at all) is mighty impressive.
Let me know what you think!
Listen to Mein shayar to nahin | El choclo (Helmut Lotti)
7
Kaisi Hai Yeh [Film: Dil Chahta Hai]
Another coincidence – the reason why I call it a coincidence, is simple. The credibility factor of the composing trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and the fact that the similarity is minimal. But makes for interesting listening as well! Dil Chahta Hai’s ‘Kaisi hai yeh rut’ (Sung by Srinivas) sounds (at least the beginning!) like 2 songs – The Beatles’ number ‘Two of us’ (from the album ‘Let it be’ – the latest cover version of this number is in the OST of the movie, ‘Iam Sam’ starring and sung by Sean Penn) and Cindy Lauper’s 1983 number ‘Time after time’ which has, on last count, about 50+ cover versions! Don’t expect any alarming instances of similarity…as I mentioned earlier, its merely a coincidence!
Listen to Kaisi hai yeh | Two of us | Time after time
8
Sevvanam [Film: Pavitra]
Listen to A R Rahman’s, ‘Pavitra’ song, ‘Sevvanam…’ and WHAM’s ‘Wake me up’! Coincidence?
Listen to Sevvanam | Wake me up
9
Madrasa Suthi Pakka [Film: May Madham]
Another WHAM – A R Rahman connection? A R Rahman’s number, ‘Madrasa suthi pakka poren’ from the 1994 movie May Madham, seemingly sounds a bit like WHAM’s ‘Club Tropicana’ (1983)! Does it? Let me know!
Listen to Madrasa suthi pakka | Club Tropicana
10
Ishq Bina [Film: Taal]
Karan Thapar talks about A R Rahman’s ‘Bombay Dreams’ in his column in Hindustan Times…”One of the songs – Love’s Never Easy – reminds me of something I’ve heard before. During the performance I can’t figure it out. But afterwards a taxi driver does. Rahman’s tune is uncannily similar to Don McClean’s Starry Starry Night”. ‘Love’s never easy’ is the English version of Rahman’s song in Taal, ‘Ishq Bina’. Wonder why Karan didn’t notice the similarity when Taal was released…well, that’s besides the point. Don McClean’s ‘Starry starry night’ was from his 1971 album, ‘American Pie’ was also called ‘Vincent’ since it was a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh’s 1889 painting, ‘Starry nights’.
Listen to Love’s never easy | Ishq Bina | Starry starry night (Vincent)
11
Le Gayi Le Gayi [Film: Dil to pagal hai]
Is the Dil To Pagal Hai number, ‘Le gayi le gayi’ inspired? Well, a friend sent me info on a song by the noted Arabic singer Farid-el-Atrache (also spelt as Farid al Atrash)…the song was ‘Ya Habaybi Ya Ghaybin’. Incidentally there is a cover verison of this song by the Morrocan-Spanish band, Alabina and was called ‘Vengan vengan’. Some dates…Dil to pagal hai came out in 1997 while Alabina’s cover version came out in 1999. Farid’s original version was released in the soundtrack of the movie ‘Nagham Fi Hayati’ in 1974. So if at all there’s a lift, Uttam Singh must’ve sourced it from Farid’s original version! Listen to the 3 clips below and check out if you think there’s a lift and if so how much! Lemme know what you think! Thanks to Sreeni for the info on Farid’s original!
Listen to Le gayi le gayi | Ya Habaybi Ya Ghaybin | Vengan vengan
12
O Hansini [Film: Zahreela Insaan]
R D Burman’s classic ‘Zehreela Insaan’ (1974) track surprisingly has shades of the theme track from the 1971 movie ‘Summer of 42′ (Composed by Michel Legrand). But yes, I’d not want to classify this as a lift and add it in the ‘Coincidences’ section since the similarity is restricted to part of the first line and the another subsequent line where ‘O Hansini’ is sung with a slight variation (Listen to the opening and from point 00:31 onwards in the English track). Mail me your opinion! Interestingly, Anu Malik has used this theme track almost as-is in the prelude to his Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayi (1973) track, ‘Tere Dar Par Sanam’…this one definitely goes into Anu’s Copied list!
Listen to O Hansini | Tere Dar Par Sanam | Theme from Summer of 42
12
Chala jaata hoon [Film: Mere Jeevan Saathi, 1972]
This Pancham track sounds very similar to the German track, ‘Goodbye eloisa’ by the band ‘Flippers’. But, even after an exhaustive search I couldn’t trace the year of release of the German track. Some sites claim it as 80s but then the song might be part of a compilation album and the date might be wrong in that case. Also, another listing claims that the tune is traditional and not scored by Flippers themselves. So, if you are able to find the year of release, please do lemme know! Till then, I suppose I gotto give the benefit of doubt to Mr Burman.
Listen to Chala jaata hoon | Goodbye eloisa
Update: The discography available in Flippers’ official website lists ‘Goodbye eloisa’ in one of their 1991 album. So, until someone can prove that the Flippers’ version is a cover version of a traditional song, this song remains an original or even could be termed as a case for reverse plagiarism!
13
Kitni Hai Pyari [Film: Parinda, 1989]
Sambodh Kaul had mailed me asking me if the German track, ‘Jodler der Berge’ sound like a Hindi song. After much listening and help from a few friends, I zeroed in on Pancham’s ‘Kitni hai pyari’ (Parinda, 1989) as the Hindi track that sort of resembles the German track. The source track was, in my knowledge, part of an album called “Most beautiful mountain yodels” (but could have first been in a different album much earlier) and was probably made famous by Kastelruther Spatzen. So, what do you think? The similarity is flimsy? Or do you believe that RDB might have got the seed for his track from the German track? Lemme know!
Listen to Kitni hai pyari | Jodler der Berge
14
Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo [Theme song for the Kolkata Knight Riders, composed by Vishal Shekhar]
The track seems to be inspired (I use the word inspired, since it is!) by a 1970 Deep Purple track titled, ‘Black Night’. Note the arrangements and a fairly prominent ‘Too hot, too cool’ part in the original – seems like a good source? But, I’d give Vishal Shekhar the benefit of doubt due to this candid feedback from Vishal Dadlani. “There’s no real connection apart from the two tunes being 6/8 rhythm structures, and rock-based. Perhaps, on thinking about it, the rhythmic structure of our first vocal line and that of the riff from deep purple’s song is somewhat similar, but certainly not the same, and the notes are totally different. We’ve never had the dishonor of being on their site, and would like to keep it that way. Vishal and Shekhar take great pride in being one of only two or three music directors to not have a listing there.”
I respect their stand and appreciate the honesty. So, off this goes to the coincidences section. This will NOT be archived under the Hindi – Others page and the Coincidences section listing will be accompanied by Vishal’s explanation!
Listen to Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo | Black Night

Indi-Pop

1
Pehle to kabhi kabhi [Non-film Album: Dil ke tukde hazar hue] <TC>
Composer: Altaf Raja and Vishnu Deva, Sung by: Altaf Raja
Ripped in total from Pakistani singer Rahim Shah’s song ‘Ghum’.
Listen to Pehle to kabhi (Altaf) | Ghum (Rahim Shah)
The surprise is that even Rahim Shah’s version isn’t original! It is supposed to be an old Afghani song called ‘Tappa’ which was later sung by the famous Pushto singer, Haroon Bacha. Rahim’s was just an updated pop version! Its unlikely that Altaf and Vishnu have got hold of the older version and improvised on it. But the fact remains that Altaf and Vishnu Deva have shamelessly plagiarized on somebody else’s composition with no credits to the original whatsoever.
2
Mohabbat Karle Re [Non-film Album: Mohabbat Karle] <TC>
Composer: Shiamak Davar, Sung by: Shiamak Davar
Copied from African singer Angelique Kidjo’s song, ‘Adouma’.
Listen to Mohabbat karle re | Adouma
Adouma was part Angelique 1994 album, ‘Aye’. Santana has also recently done a cover version of this song in the album, ‘Shaman’, with due credit to Angelique, of course!
3
Pukaro [Non-film Album: Superuna (1983)] <TC>
Composer: Bappi Lahiri, Sung by: Runa Laila
Lifted from the Tanzanian song ‘Malaika’, made popular by Miriam Makeba.
Listen to Pukaro | Malaika
Looks like Bappi Lahiri has lifted the Miriam Makeba number ‘Malaika’ much before Nadeem Shravan did in their song ‘Gawah Hain‘ in Damini. Trivia Note: ‘Malaika’ is a Tanzanian song and the Kenyan singing legend Fadhili William’s 1963 version of the song is supposed to be the definitive version, even though Fadhili’s claims of ownership of this song is still under dispute, long after his death! Miriam Makeba is credited with spreading this song beyond Africa!
4
Vote for ghaghra (Dilli shahar mein) [Non-film Album: Vote For Ghaghra (1995)] <TC>
Composer: Ila Arun
Lifted from Dr Alban’s 1993 track, ‘Om we rembwe ike’ from the album ‘One Love’.
Listen to Vote for ghaghra | Om we rembwe ike
5
Na Jaane [Non-film Album: Na Jaane (1997)] <TC>
Composer: Harry Anand, Vipin Anand, Nitin Bali
Lifted from the 1967 French track, Je T’aime’ by the French composer Serge Gainsbourg.
Listen to Na Jaane | Je T’aime (Serge and Jane Birkin)
Trivia:
>>
Question by
Times of India journalist to Nitin Bali on the eve of his new album Baliwood’s release: “Your first album Na Jaane had all original tunes, so why did you decide to go in for a remix album?
>>
Excerpt from Indya.com’s profile of Nitin Bali: “Confident of his voice and latent talent, Nitin recorded a demo of the song Na jaane, written by him in conjunction with a friend, Manu Chopra. His father heard the song and ….. two hours later, died”

More on Je T’aime: Je t’aime was originally recorded by Serge Gainsbourg, along with Brigitte Bardot (when they were quite an item) in 1967. But this version was not released, at Bardot’s request. Not to be disheartened Serge re-recorded the track with his British girlfriend Jane Birkin. This track made its first appearance on the pairs’ self-titled 1969 LP, recorded in London, with Roger Coulam providing the sleazy, cheesy organ that accompanies the fluid bass and urgent drums! The song gained notoriety when Radio 1 banned it for heavy breathing and saucy lyrics. It has since appeared everywhere from hardcore pornography to dodgy discos and advertisements.

6
Yalla Yalla [Non-film Album: Story of UMI (2004)] <TC>
Composer: Harry Anand
Note-to-note lift from a Middle Eastern track, ‘Yalla ya shabab’ by Ragheb Alama (Album: ‘Saharouny Leil’, 2001).
Listen to Yalla Yalla | Yalla Ya Shabab
Also refer to other lifts of the same original – Anand Raaj Anand page: No. 9 and Jatin Lalit Page: No. 19. This is bloody shameless! In fact, in an interview with Screen magazine, Harry is asked, “Your new release The Story Of UMI is a remix album which claims to have one original song ‘Yalla yalla…’ Why the need for an original song in a remix album?”, for which he says, “We felt it would be a good idea to put in an original song in a compilation of remixes”. Thankfully, the next question is, “But ‘Yalla yalla…’ doesn’t seem original. Also, one has heard a similar song ‘Aanewala pal…’ in Plan, which has music by your big brother Anand Raaj Anand”. Harry’s response goes, “I agree. It’s inspired from an international hit. But I have only picked the first line of the original song, the rest is all mine….As for the similar song in Plan, it’s possible that a song can make an impact on many. And you know how it is in films, where producers insist that a music director use a particular song. As a result, you have one inspired number in umpteen films”! Oh puhleeze!
7
Jab koi pyar se [Non-film Album: Sayesha (1994)] <TC>
Composer & Singer: Nadeem Saifi
Lifted off Mehdi Hasan’s very popular track of the same name, same lyrics!
Listen to Jab koi (Nadeem) | Jab koi (Mehdi Hasan)
Nadeem Shravan were in their peak during the 90s and its in one of these binges that Nadeem Saifi decided to showcase his vocal chords to the country, in a private album titled, ‘Sayesha’ (1994). I still remember the tacky video with Nadeem walking alongside some private jets and singing uncomfortably. Now, I do buy the argument that this duo lifted ‘cos producers demanded the lifts (to some extent!), but wonder which force demanded that Nadeem lift Mehdi Hasan’s very popular track, ‘Jab koi pyar se bulayega’ for the lead track in this private album! I’m sure there’s no ‘prodoocer’ here to force Nadeem to lift the Pakistani track, since this is a private album – which usually is supposed to be a form of self-expression (much like the other funny private album by Anu Malik, ‘Eyes’, what with its its raining, its paining rhymes!). Sad. And thoroughly annoying, since there’s minimal effort on Nadeem’s part to add on to the original (mild pitch tweak) and even the lyrics are largely similar!
8
Mahi mahi mahiya [Non-film Album: Junoon (2007)] <TC>
Singer: Abhijeet Sawant, Composer: Jatin Sharma
Straight lift off Egyptian boy band Wama’s ‘Ya ghali aliya’ (2005)
Listen to Mahi mahi mahiya | Ya Ghali Aliya
Indian Idol Abhijeet Sawant latest album, Junoon’ has songs composed by multiple composers (Amit Trivedi, Mithoon, Biddu, Raju Singh and Jatin Sharma) and Sony BMG has done a great job packaging the assortment. The problem is with ‘Mahi mahi mahiya’, an obviously middle-eastern sounding track, composed by Jatin Sharma, a man known predominantly for his remixes and as his website so eloquently portrays, for his humble origins. This track is an outright lift of Egyptian boy band Wama’s super hit track, ‘Ya Ghali Aliya’, that was part of a similarly titled album in 2005. Just wondering…if Wama decide to take a legal recourse (whatever its worth, that is!) who should they be suing? Sony BMG? Abhijeet Sawant? Jatin Sharma? I’m curious. Considering how fantastic their album is, they should simply release it in India and simply ‘make’ doodh ka doodh and paani ka paani :-)
9
Tanha [Non-film Album: Junoon (2007)] <TC>
Singer: Abhijeet Sawant, Composer: Biddu
Ripped off Lebanese singer Ragheb Alameh’s 2005 track, ‘Nassini el donia’.
Listen to Tanha | Nassini el donia
Here comes the second lift in the same album. The song: Tanha. Composer: Biddu Appaiah! Yes, the same Biddu behind Alisha’s Made in India. And, Nazia Hassan and Qurbani. And much before that – Carl Douglas’ international chartbuster ‘Kung fu fighting’! Jeez..how the mighty have fallen! The song Tanha is a shockingly shameless and direct lift from Lebanese singer Ragheb Alameh’s 2005 song, ‘Nassini el donia’ from the album, ‘El Hob El Kebir’. While the lift includes some mild tweaks in the main structure by Biddu – everything from the prelude, the opening and the key hook is incredibly similar. Biddu…why man? In the earlier post, I had ideally blamed the composer (Jatin Sharma) more than the singer. But considering this 2nd lift, I think the blame should rest equally on young Abhijeet’s shoulders. Why? Just like we attribute ‘Ya ghali aliya’ to Wama Band and ‘Nassini el donia’ to Ragheb Alameh, beyond this site, I don’t think anyone would link either Jatin Sharma or Biddu with these tracks. They will obviously be Abhijeet Sawant’s tracks! Abhijeet could well be just an ‘artist’ in Sony BMG’s repertoire and perhaps may just be arriving at the studio to record the songs that folks in Sony have ‘arranged’ for him. But given the fact that the album is being sold on his name, he is equally responsible too!
Trivia: Ragheb Alameh? Biddu who?
10
Na jaanay kahan [Non-film Album: Charkha (2008)] <TC>
Singer: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Composer: Rohail Hyatt and Faisal Rafi
Uncredited remix Alanis Morissette’s unreleased single, ‘Uninvited’ (1998) that was part of the ‘City of Angels’ OST.
Listen to Na janay kahan | Uninvited
Wonder who’s idea this is!

Hindi [Other Composers]

Hindi [Other Composers]

1
Lahron pe lahar [Film: Chhabili]
Composer: Snehal Bhatkar
Inspired from the song The man who plays the mandolino by Dean Martin.
Listen to Lehron pe lehar | The man who plays the mandolino
Ditto. Anu Malik has used the same tune for his Baazigar hit ‘Yeh kaali kaali aankhen’! Check out the Anu Malik section, No.25.
2
Tum Ladke Ho [Film: Maine pyar kiya] <TC>
Composer: Raam Laxman
Inspired from Baltimore’s song ‘Tarzan Boy’.
Ditto!
3
Tu… [Film: Dulhan bano mein teri] <TC>
Composer: Raam Laxman
Inspired from Maddona’s song Frozen!
Ditto!
4
Aate Jaate [Film: Maine pyaar kiya] <TC>
Composer: Raam Laxman
From Stevie Wonder’s I just called to say I love you!
Ditto.
5
Mere Rang Mein [Film: Maine pyaar kiya] <TC>
Composer: Raam Laxman
From Europe’s Final Countdown!
Yup!
6
Le Pappiyan Jhappiyan [Film: Haqeeqat (1995)] <TC>
Composer: Dilip Sen sameer Sen
Inspired by The Champs number, ‘Tequila’ (1957)
Listen to Le pappiyan | Tequila
Ditto. Also, check out the earlier adaptation of tequila, by Kishoreda (listing number: 40, in this page)
7
Jab tak ye raat hai baaki [Film: Bees Saal Pehle] <TC>
Composer: Hemant Kumar
Lifted off the British band, Christie’s Yellow River.
Listen to Jab tak yeh | Yellow river
Yellow River’s Wikipedia entry reveals that this track was first offered to another band, The Tremeloes, who found it too pop-oriented for their future and went ahead with another track, after recording it with Christie’s lead, Jeff Christie!
PS: Is it just me or does anyone else also ‘hear’ the tune of ‘Sayonara’ from Love in Tokyo in Yellow River? Nothing too direct, just traces :-)
8
Kyun hai deewanu tu akela [Film: Bees Saal Pehle]
Composer: Hemant Kumar
Inspired from Mary Hopkin’s Those were the days.
Looking for the Hindi track!
9
Oh oh oh oh Baby [Film: Police]
Composer: Hemant Kumar
Inspired from the oldie number Oh oh oh bernadine.
Looking for the Hindi track!
10
Gore gore [Samadhi] <TC>
Composer: C Ramachandra
Lifted from the number by Edmundo Ros, ‘Chico chico’.
Listen to Gore gore | Chico chico
Blatant!
11
Jhoom jhoom ke jaam choomke [Film: Coffee House]
Composer: Roshan
Inspired from Malaguenia. Looking for details.
Looking for the Hindi track!
12
Saaqiya thodi thodi [Film: Nishan] <TC>
Composer: Usha Khanna
Inspired from the oldie track Sibone!
I’m yet to hear the hindi version!
13
Hawwa aziza [Film: Main Hun Allaudin] <TC>
Composer: Usha Khanna
Inspired from the oldie number ‘Hawa Nagila’
The original is a brilliant song, I’m yet to hear the Hindi version, to confirm!
14
Aapki adaaon pe phida dil [Film: Nishan]
Composer: Usha Khanna
Inspired from Henry Mancini’s The Baby Elephant Walk
Looking for the Hindi track!
15
Oye Oye [Film: Tridev (1989)]
Composer: Viju Shah/ Kalyanji Anandji
Inspired from Gloria Estefan’s ‘Rhythm is gonna get you’ (1987)
Listen to Oye oye | Rhythm is gonna get you
The humming is lifted!
16
Zindagi mein pyar karna seekh lo [Film: Phool Aur Patthar]
Composer: Ravi
From the Brazilian Love song, also called as Andorinha Preta.
Looking for an audio clipping of this number. Check out Sandeep Chowta’s rip-off of the same original – Sandeep Chowta page, 4th listing.
17
Maine kahan tha aana Sunday ko [Film: Ustaadon ka ustaad]
Composer: Ravi
From Bing Crosby’s Never on a sunday!
Looking for an audio clipping of this number.
18
Tu mile dil khile [Film: Criminal]
Composer: MM Kreem
Prelude lifted from Enigma’s ‘Eyes of Truth’ and ‘Carlyl’s song’
The tune of the song, a very good one at that, remains original!
19
Keemti keemti hai zindagi [Film: Criminal (1993)] <TC>
Composer: MM Kreem
Ditto copied from Snow’s ‘Lonely lonely Monday morning’ (1993).
Listen to Kimti kimti | Lonely lonely
Ditto!
20
Gupt gupt [Film: Gupt] <TC>
Composer: Viju Shah
Multiple sources of inspiration! The opening is from Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ (1973). The main tune is from Deep Forest’s first song of the same name released in 1992!
Listen to Gupt Gupt | Tubular bells | Deep Forest
Inspired! Very much!
21
Duniya Haseenon ka mela [Film: Gupt]
Composer: Viju Shah
The opening music in flute has been lifted from Kitaro’s ‘Matsuri’!
Listen to Duniya Haseenon Ka | Matsuri
Kitaro’s Matsuri was part of his 1990 album, ‘Kojiki’!
22
Bistirno Paarore (and/or Ganga) [Non-film] <TC>
Composer: Bhupen Hazarika
Inspired by the song ‘Old man river’, which was part of a 1927 musical ‘Showboat’.
Listen to Bistrino paarore | Old man river | Ganga
The musical was based on Edna Ferber’s book with the same name that was released in 1926. The composers of the original version of Showboat (there have been many versions subsequently!) were Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern. The original ‘Old man river’ has been sung by people like Bing Crosby, Paul Robeson, Al Johnson and Jules Bledsoe. However, without robbing any credit from our own Bhupen Hazarika, I personally felt ‘Bistirno paarore’ is the Indian interpretation of the older classic and is Indianized to a large extent. Particularly, listen to the original from the point 00:54:00 onwards – there are clear indications of how the Indian version was conceived! Also, note that the subsequent version Ganga was based on the river while the original showboat version was about the river Mississippi! Was Bistirno…based on some river too? Bramhaputra? Just a guess – its possible! Also strikingly similar is the kind of quivery voice on both the Indian and western version!! I’m sure the subsequent western versions were licensed and authorized. But was the Indianized version authorized by the original’s license owners? That’s what holds the key between a plagiarized work and an inspired one!
23
Dil deke dekho [Dil deke dekho] <TC>
Composer: Usha Khanna
Lifted from the song ‘Sugar in the morning’ by The McGuire Sisters.
Listen to Dil deke dekho | Sugar in the morning
Absolute lift!
24
Kayee din se mujhe [Akhiyon ke jharokon se] <TC>
Composer: Ravindra Jain
Inspired by Mozart’s 40th Symphony, Movement 3
Listen to Kayee din se mujhe | Mozart’s 40th Sym. Mt. 3
Damn good improvisation by Ravindra Jain.
25
Rahen ne rahen hum [Mamta]
Composer: Roshan
The opening violin intro is inspired by Ron Goodwin’s ‘Return to Paradise’.
Listen to Rahen ne rahen hum | Return to Paradise
The violin intro is a rather clumsy Indian version (IMO) for those who’ve heard the original for ages! The rest of the actual tune is Roshan’s original.
26
Chaand chupa [Hum dil de chuke sanam] <TC>
Composer: Ismail Darbar
Inspired by the Love story theme by Francis Lai
Listen to Francis Lai’s theme from Love Story | Chaand chupa
Inspired.
27
oo babu o lala [Dilli ka thug] <TC>
Composer: Ravi
Lifted from ‘Rum and coca cola’ by The Andrew Sisters!
Listen to Oo babu o lala | Rum and coca cola
Ditto!
28
Title song [Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam] <TC>
Composer: Nikhil Vinay
Lifted straight from ‘Boohey Barian’ by Pakistani singer Hadiqa Kiyani!
Listen to Hum tumhare hain sanam | Boohey Barian
Ditto and shocking! Check Nadeem Shravan’s lift of the same original – Hindi – NS page, listing no. 20!
29
Wafa na raas aayee [Bewafa Sanam] <TC>
Composer: ?
Lifted straight from Ataullah Khan’s ‘Wafa na raas aayee’!
Listen to Wafa na raas aayee | Kameez teri kaali
Ditto
30
Purvaiya leke chalo [Do Jasoos] <TC>
Composer: Ravindra Jain (Movie released in 1975)
Inspired by Osibisa’s 1971 number ‘Woyaya’ (We are going)
Listen to Purvaiya leke chalo | Woyaya
Good improvisation, but pretty much the same tune!
31
Aaja zara [Ek Jhalak] <TC>
Composer: Hemant Kumar
Lifted from Perez Prado’s Cherry pink and apple blossom white.
Listen to Aaja zara | Cherry pink and apple blossom white
Ditto!
32
Nigahon mein tum [Bharat Bhagya Vidata] <TC>
Composer: ?
Inspired by ‘too much tequila’ by The Champs (1960).
Listen to Nigahon mein ho tum | Too much tequila
Inspired!
33
Woh kaun thi [Album by Jojo] <TC>
Composer: ? , Singer: Jojo
Direct lift of Pakistani Band, Vital Signs’ ‘Woh kaun thi’.
Listen to Woh kaun thi (Jojo) | Woh kaun thi (Vital Signs)
Ditto! I also happened to come across an interview of Jojo in the Nazara website where, when asked what is the inspiration behind ‘woh kaun thi’, he says “….inspiration… for woh kaun thi… well just an expectation of somebody in your life… a mystery“!!!!?
34
Dil dil se milakar dekho [Memsahib] <TC>
Composer: Madan Mohan
Inspired by the 1934 hit number ‘Isle of capri’.
Listen to Dil dil se milakar dekho | Isle of capri
Inspired!
35
Chod aaye hum [Maachis (1996)]
Composer: Vishal Bharadwaj
The famous whistling in the Hindi song inspired by the song, ‘il campo di pallone’ from the soundtrack of the Italian movie ‘caro diario’!
Listen to Chod aaye hum | il campo di pallone
The composer of Caro diario was Nicola Piovani who was also the composer of the Oscar winning ‘La vita e bella’, better known as ‘Life is beautiful’. Wonder if Vishal and Gulzar saab saw the movie in some international film festival in Mumbai and decided that this piece was too good to resist!!?
36
Do chamakti aankhon mein [Detective (1958)] <TC>
Composer: Mukul Roy
Lifted from Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jamaica Farewell’ (1956)
Listen to Do chamakti aankhon mein | Jamaica Farewell
Ditto!
37
Yeh raaste hain pyaar ke [Yeh raaste hain pyaar ke (1963)] <TC>
Composer: Ravi
Inspired by the song ‘Andalucia’ by Ernesto Lecuona.
Listen to Yeh raaste hain pyaar ke | Andalucia
‘Andalucia’ was originally written in 1930 by Ernesto Lecuona as part of his ‘Spanish Suite’. It was later performed by itself by his band, the Lecuona Cuban Boys. The song enjoyed some success, but it was ten years later, when Jimmy Dorsey recorded it in 1941, as a vocal number (by the name, ‘Breeze and I), with Bob Eberly singing Al Stillman’s lyrics, that it became a #1 hit in the U.S. It’s a wistful song, in which the singer laments that his love is known only to ‘the breeze and I’.
38
Haal tujhe apni [Aasha (1957)] <TC>
Composer: C Ramachandra
Inspired by the song ‘Andalucia’ by Ernesto Lecuona. (refer last entry!)
Listen to Haal tujhe apni | Andalucia
Refer notes in the previous entry!
39
Kammo…Mera dil le gayee [Ziddi (1997)] <TC>
Composer: Dilip Sen Sameer Sen
Lifted from Pakistani pop singer Abrar Ul Haq’s ‘Billo de ghar’
Listen to Kammo | Billo de ghar
Lifted, updated and remixed. Abrar’s album (of the same name) came out in 1996 and was a smash hit!
40
Babaloo [Jhumroo (1961)] <TC>
Composer: Kishore Kumar
Inspired by The Champs’ 1957 smash hit, ‘Tequila’
Listen to Babaloo | Tequila
Also, check out the other recent version of Tequila (this page, listing no. 06). Apart from the 2 songs mentioned above, another really famous S D Burman number sounds like the opening line of Tequila. How about ‘Mere sapnon ki rani kab’ from Aradhana (1969)? But yes, the similarity is strictly restricted to the first line only!
Listen to Mere sapnon ki rani kab
Trivia on Tequila: Dave Burgess of The Champs was working a session, one afternoon in 1957. With some studio time remaining, Burgess asked the other musicians to stay, to help him come up with a B-side for a record he had previously recorded. One musician offered a Tex-Mex sax line, another a snappy guitar riff, the drummer played a backbeat on the bell of his cymbal and Burgess plucked the muted strings of his electric guitar. The song was called “Tequila” and in ten minutes they had a take. Everyone who heard the tune liked it and Challenge Records decided to release it immediately. Demo copies were sent to major deejays across the country in late December, 1957. “Tequila” was topping both the “pop” and R&B charts by March 1958 and went on to sell a million copies and win the 1958 Grammy for Best Rhythm and Blues Performance.
41
O priya o priya [Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye (2000)] <TC>
Composer: Himesh Reshammiyya
Lifted from Santana’s ‘Maria’!
Listen to O priya o priya | Maria
Himesh Reshammiyya has so far been a consistently ‘dinchak-jhatak-matak’ kind of music director – a dream come true for someone like David Dhawan who has worked with him in Dulhan Hum Le Jaayenge and now in Yeh Hai Jalwa. Surprisingly, barring a few numbers, Himesh hasn’t lifted much in his films so far. Hence it came as a surprise when I heard ‘O priya o priya’ from the Salman starrer ‘Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye’ (2000, the movie itself was a lift of the Adam Sandler starrer, ‘The Wedding Singer’). The song was a direct lift from Santana’s chartbusting ‘Maria’ (1999 – Featuring The Product G&B, Produced by Wyclef Jean). Even more surprising is that many online music reviews haven’t mentioned this lift…in fact a Subash K Jha review in Indya.com says this about this song “…O priya priya with its sing-along chant has a key interlude taken from A R Rahman’s Mere paas hai tu in Taal. That apart, Reshammiya has been able to squeeze a semblance of sympathetic melody into O priya“! (Indya.com – KPNHJ)
42
Tip tip barsa paani [Mohra]
Composer: Viju Shah
The prominent interlude/prelude inspired by Dr Alban’s ‘Roll down di rubber man’.
Listen to Tip tip barsa paani | Roll down di rubber man
To be fair to Viju Shah, he sure has worked considerably on this piece!
43
Ai ajnabee [Deewangi (2002)] <TC>
Composer: Ismail Darbar
Lifted from Portugese ‘Fado’ singer, Dulce Pontes’ song, ‘Cancao do mar’!
Listen to Ai Ajnabee | Cancao Do Mar
Two interesting things to note here….’Cancao do mar’ was part of the soundtrack of ‘Primal fear’ from whose plot Deewangi has been inspired. And second, ‘cancao do mar’ has already been lifted as-is in Tamil, for the movie Kushi, with music by Deva! This is probably Ismail Darbar’s first blatant lift…I can almost see Director Anees Bazmee and Producer Nitin Manmohan compelling Ismail to lift this number…but you never know…!
Also listen to the Tamil version Oh Vennila [Kushi]
44
Aaj ki ladki [Mujse Dosti Karoge (2002)]
Composer: Rahul Sharma
An interlude sounds exactly similar to a piece from Afro Celt Sound System’s ‘Lovers of Light’ (1999).
Listen to Aaj ki ladki | Lovers of light
Its just a small piece so no big deal, actually! It doesn’t impact the main tune anyway!
45
Andheri Raaton Mein [Shahenshah (1987)]
Composer: Amar Utpal
Inspired in part by the song, ‘Mother’ by The Police (1983, Synchronicity).
Listen to Andheri Raaton Mein | Mother
Even though Amar Utpal have used a pretty familiar Bollywood’ish tune for the actual song, Mother has its stamp all over the Hindi track! An interesting inspiration! For a song that was voted as the least favorite of all Police numbers, its quite strange that Amar Utpal chose it to base his Shahenshah number!
46
Dil Ko [Rehna Hai Terre Dil Mein (2001)] <TC>
Composer: Harris Jeyaraj
Inspired by Secret Garden’s ‘Song from a secret garden’.
Listen to Dil Ko | Song from a secret garden
‘Dil Ko’ was supposedly inspired by tracks like ‘This is my song’ (courtesy: The Music Magazine) and Mr Big’s Wild World. But the secret garden track is a more direct source of inspiration. The chord progressions are exactly lifted, in my opinion, to form a cohesive Filmi tune!
47
ABCDEFGHI… [Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999)] <TC>
Composer: Ram Laxman
Inspired by the Spanish track, ‘Por que te vas?’ by singer Jeanette.
Listen to ABCDEFGHI… | Por que te vas?
The 1974 Spanish movie ‘Cria Cuervos’ had the song ‘Por que te vas?’ sung by singer Jeanette and composed by Jose Luis Perales. Wonder how on earth did Ram Laxman think of lifting this song!!
Trivia note on Jeanette: Jeanette was actually an American singer and started recording in the late 60′s with the Spanish group Pic-Nic. In the 70′s she went solo and her biggest hit to date was ‘Por que te vas?’, the song that featured in the 1974 film ‘Cria cuervos’. The original was composed by Jose Luis Perales.
48
Aye aye ya ya [Pran Jaaye Par Shaan Na Jaaye (2003)] <TC>
Composer: Daboo Malik
Lifted LSB from Los Lobos’ ‘Cancion del mariachi’ from the soundtrack of the 1995 hit, ‘Desperado’
Listen to Aye aye ya ya | Cancion del mariachi
When did you realise that you had it in you to compose?
I don’t know when exactly, but its been a little while now. For me composing songs started like a sudden eruption of a volcano. All of a sudden my head was filled with tunes, which kept coming just like that. So much so that I used to carry a walkman with me wherever I went, in the bathroom, in the lift, so that I could record the tune immediately. I didn’t quite understand what struck me. In six months’ time I was ready with more than 400 melodies. And what spurred me further was the acceptability by the industry. If I had one sitting with a filmmaker, I would immediately get a reaction in the form of praise, or a film offer came to me.”
Daboo Malik, brother of Anu Malik, in a recent interview with Screen Magazine.

Looks like these ‘tunes’ in Daboo’s head have already visited Los Lobos’ head before landing up in his!

49
Hum Pyaar Tera Jo [Market (2003)] <TC>
Composer: Altaf Raja
Direct rip-off of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘Yeh Shaam Phir Nahi Aayegi’ (1996, from the album ‘Sangam’ which had lyrics by Javed Akhtar).
Listen to Hum pyaar tera jo | Yeh shaam phir nahi aayegi
Bah!
50
Aankhen meri maikhana [Sawan Bhadon (1970)] <TC>
Composer: Sonic Omi
Partly inspired by the prelude of the 1966 track by The Standells, “Black is black”.
Listen to Aankhen meri maikhana | Black is black (Cover version by Los Bravos, 1966)
Strangely enough, the uncle-nephew duo of Sonik Omi decided not the lift the main tune of the original, and instead created their tune out of the prelude. However, this prelude is a bit too common in terms of its progression.
51
Dil Ke Badle [Zameer (2003)] <TC>
Composer: Nikhil Vinay
DIRECT lift of the track by the same wordings, from the Pakistani film, ‘Ghar kab aao ge’ (2000)
Listen to Dil ke badle (Ghar kab aao ge) | Dil ke badle (Zameer)
The original Pakistani film, ‘Ghar Kab Aao Ge’ was released in 2000, with music by Amjad Bobby and lyrics by Qateel Shifai. Wonder why Nikhil Vinay have been credited with this ‘so-called’ Hindi version while everything, from lyrics, to tune are lifted. Also wonder who actually got the credit for the lyrics for the ‘Zameer’ version….if its anybody else other than Qateel Shifai, I’m sure its a joke!
52
Koyi aayega [Asambhav (2004)]
Composer: Viju Shah
Partly inspired by the 60s Noor Jehan track, ‘Mahi aave ga’ that was remixed and resung by Shazia Manzoor in 2000.
Listen to Koyi aayega | Mahi aave ga
53
Thandi hawa yeh chandni suhani [Jhumroo (1961)] <TC>
Composer: Kishore Kumar
Lifted of Julius La Rosa’s 1955 classic, ‘Domani’.
Listen to Thandi hawa | Domani
54
Yeh rut yeh raat jawan [Sailaab (1954)] <TC>
Composer: Mukul Roy
Inspired by Perez Prado’s ‘El Negro Zumbon’, also used under the name ‘El Bayon’ in the 1951 Italian cult classic, ‘Anna’.
Listen to Yeh rut yeh raat jawan | El Negro Zumbon
55
Shava shava [Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham (2001)] <TC>
Composer: Aadesh Shrivastava
The slower passages in the middle of the song that goes, ‘Delha tenu pehli pehli…’ is a direct lift from Shazia Manzoor’s track ‘Batiyan bujaye rakhdi’..
Listen to Shava Shava (mid portion) | Batiyaan Bujaye Rakhdi
Shazia’s original track was part of her 1999 album, ‘Chan Makhna’. The original is a super energetic track while Aadesh has used it for what Bollywood calls, ‘Pathos’ mood :-)
56
Gela Gela [Aitraaz (2004)] <TC>
Composer: Himesh Reshammiya
Inspired by R Kelly’s ‘Thoia Thoing’
Listen to Gela Gela | Thoia Thoing
R Kelly’s track was part of his 2003 album, ‘Chocolate Factory’
57
Nimbuda Nimbuda [Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)] <TC>
Composer: Ismail Darbar
Inspired by Ghazni Khan Manganiyar’s Rajasthani Folk song, ‘Nimbuda’
Listen to Nimbuda [Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam] | Nimbuda [Original]
If you’d like to listen to the full version of the folk song, click here (check out ‘Nimbuda Nimbuda’!)
Take a look at these 2 (out of many other sites) sites that talk of this song being a lift from a Rajasthani Manganiyar folk song!
Diverse Strains | Sunday Tribune
I completely agree with Shuba Mudgal (who has penned the write-up in Diverse Strains) when she asks, “If we can listen to a folk song in a blockbuster movie, why can we not give an occasional patient hearing to the original?” Ismail Darbar had a wonderful chance to handle this in the right way, but I wonder why he messed it up and ended with a ‘plagiarist’ tag – that too in his much-celebrated debut. All he had to do was to add a note of credit to the original composer of the song, Rajasthani folk singer Ghazni Khan Manganiyar, so that people can differentiate between the original and the Bollywood version – when you listen to the two you’d understand the kind of work that Ismail has put in, in his version and made a simple, ‘otherwise-restricted-to-a-few-discerning-listeners’ track into an ultra-catchy dance number! Its a pity that decided to pass it as his original composition.
58
Daud Title Song [Daud (1999)]
Composer: A R Rahman
A piece towards the end of the song sounds like ‘If I were a rich man’ from Fiddler on the Roof.
Listen to Daud Title Song (Remo) | Daud Title Song (Usha) | Rich Girl | If I were a rich man
The tune heard (for a fleeting few seconds, in the beginning of the advt. when the girl opens a Pepsi bottle) in the Pepsi advt. is a track called ‘Rich Girl’ by Gwen Stefani. Gwen’s ‘Rich Girl’ itself borrows heavily from the track, ‘If I were a rich man’ from the famous play/ movie, ‘Fiddler on the roof’ (1951 Broadway version, 1971 Movie version) and I believe this is credited too. Rahman’s Daud title song (that has 2 versions – by Usha Uthup and Remo Fernandes) uses the main part of this tune right towards the end of the song and sounds more like a tribute to ‘Fiddler…’. Did Rahman use it as a tribute fully knowing that he’s using so-and-so? Only he could answer!
59
Didi Tera Devar [Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994)] <TC>
Composer: Ram Laxman
Inspired by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘Saare Nabian’
Listen to Didi Tera Devar | Saare Nabian (Relevant edited portion containing prelude and ending)
Partly inspired with adequate improvisations from Ram Laxman.
60
Tridev Theme [Tridev (1989)] <TC>
Composer: Kalyanji Anandji (Viju Shah)
Lifted from Pet Shop Boys’ 1984 track, ‘One more chance’
Listen to Tridev theme | One more chance
This theme that borrows generously from Pet Shop Boys’ 1984 track (also famously voted as one of PSB’s worst songs!). I still remember the kind of euphoria Tridev (and other soundtracks like QSQT, Dil etc.) generated back in the end of 80s. Almost every home had the sad looking audio tape played many times over in family dos! I was completely zapped by Tridev’s techno [ :-) ] theme when I heard it first. Now I know who the credit should go to!
61
62
‘Kaisi paheli hai yeh’ and ‘Soona man ka’ [Parineeta (2005)] <TC>
Composer: Shantanu Moitra
‘Kaisi…’ lifted straight off Louis Armstrong’s 1951 track ‘A Kiss To Build A Dream On’ while a line in ‘Soona…’ is lifted from Tagore’s ‘Phoole phoole’!
Listen to Kaisi paheli hai yeh | A kiss to build a dream on
Listen to Soona man ka (edited) | Phoole phoole
‘A Kiss To Build A Dream On’ is from the soundtrack of the 1951 film ‘The Strip’, written and composed by Bert Kalmar; Harry Ruby; Oscar Hammerstein II. For a ‘considered-talented’ newcomer this is disastrous and rather shameful.
63
64
‘Dillagi’ and ‘Marjawan’ [Aashiq Banaya Aapne (2005)] <TC>
Composer: Himesh Reshamiyya
Lifted off Ali Zafar’s Rangeen and Faakhir’s Marjawan, respectively!
Listen to Dillagi | Rangeen
Listen to Marjawan (ABA) | Marjawan (Faakhir)
Ali Zafar’s ‘Rangeen’ from his 2003 album, ‘Huqa Pani’ while Faakhir’s ‘Marjawan’ from his 2002 album, ‘Aatish’.
65
Pyar ki kasam [Dil deke dekho (1959)] <TC>
Composer: Usha Khanna
Copied from Ivory Joe Hunter’s 1956 hit ‘Since I met you baby’!
Listen to Pyar ki kasam | Since I met you baby
Blatant lift!
66
Urzu urzu durkut [Yahaan (2005)] <TC>
Composer: Shantanu Moitra
Inspired by Altan’s ‘Dulaman’
Listen to Urzu urzu durkut | Dulaman
Inspired. Dulaman was part of Altan’s 1993 album Island Angel.
67
Sajna [Waisa bhi hota hai (2003)]
Composer: Shibani Kashyap
The prelude (opening) used directly from Thomas Dolby’s ‘I love you goodbye’ from the 1992 album, ‘Astronauts and Heretics’
Listen to Sajna | I love you goodbye
Considering the fact the main tune is completely different, is this a homage?
68
Ola Ola [Jaana - Lets fall in love (2006)] <TC>
Composer: Guru Sharma
Blatant lift from Modern Talking’s 2000 track, ‘No Face No Name No Number’
Listen to Ola ola | No face no name no number
The film’s soundtrack has 6 composers and this one is by Guru Sharma. Turns out that he didn’t actually compose it either. He merely added Hindi lyrics to it since it is originally by Modern Talking…a track called ‘No face, no name, no number’ (2000, album: Year of the dragon – not to be confused with Traffic’s 1967 track of the same name from the album ‘Mr Fantasy’).
69
Pal pal [Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006)] <TC>
Composer: Shantanu Moitra
Inspired by Cliff Richard’s evergreen ‘Theme for a dream’ (1961)
Listen to Pal pal | Theme for a dream
Almost every review of the soundtrack noticed the lift from Cliff Richard’s ‘Theme for a dream’ (1961). But what intrigues me is another popular 80s track, ‘When you’re in love with a beautiful woman’ by Dr Hook sounds very similar to Cliff Richard’s track and subsequently, to the one by Shantanu. Its worth noting here that Dr Hok’s track has already inspired 2 other direct Hindi tracks – Bappi Lahiri’s ‘Mere jaisi haseena’ (Armaan) and Anu Malik’s ‘O mere neend churane waale’ (Chamatkar)! So, what’s the story behind Dr Hook now?
Listen to
Mere jaisi haseena | O mere neend churane waale
70
Mele chaliyan [Yahaan (2005)] <TC>
Composer: Shantanu Moitra
Lifted directly off a traditional Punjabi wedding track with the same lyrics, made famous by Musarrat Nazir.
Listen to Mele chaliyan (Yahaan) | Mele Chaliyan (Musarrat Nazir)
There’s absolutely no mention of any such thing in the CD of Yahaan and worse, Gulzar is credited for the lyrics. Check out Musarrat’s version…doesn’t seem to be very different in terms of lyrics!
71
Kaun Aaya…meri Neeta [Dil deke dekho (1959)] <TC>
Composer: Usha Khanna
Direct lift from Paul Anka’s ‘Diana’
Listen to Kaun aaya | Diana
Direct and blatant. Check the next listing for another lift of the same original!
72
Bol bol bol [Baap Bete (1959)] <TC>
Composer: Madan Mohan
Lifted off Paul Anka’s ‘Diana’
Listen to Bol bol bol | Diana
The overall feel is mildly tweaked, but basic tune is a rather direct lift.
Trivia on Paul Anka’s Diana: Diana refers to Paul Anka’s neighbor, Diana Ayoub on whom Paul had a crush when he was 15. Paul recorded the song at the same age, in 1956. The music was based on a popular Latin rhythm called cha-lypso, a modified cha-cha done to a calypso beat. Cha-lypso had been invented a only a few months earlier. It has been reported that “Diana” has been recorded over three hundred times in sixteen countries between 1957 and 1963. Worldwide Anka’s version reportedly has sold more then nine million copies.
73
Subah subah [Yash (1996)] <TC>
Composer: Tabun Sutradhar
Racy version of a Bengali folk track, ‘Boli o nonodi’
Listen to Subah subah | Boli o nonodi
I usually stay away from intra-Indian lifts, but chose to add this since it was a fairly big hit for a struggling composer, back in 1996! Sung by Jojo, this track made quite a splash in 1996 through the ratings it notched up in Superhit Muqabla. Tabun is still struggling, but this track, which gave him recognition seems to be ripped straight of a Bengali folk track, ‘Boli o nonodi’. One of the best known versions of the original folk happens to be by singer Sapna (Swapna) Chakraborty that is supposed to have released in 1978.
74
Title Song [Life mein kabhi kabhi (2007)] <TC>
Composer: Lalit Pandit
Lifted from Amr Diab’s 2000 track ‘Eni alem allah’.
Listen to Life mein kabhi kabhi | Eni alem allah
Already lifted by Sanjeev Darshan for the 2003 film Aanch, in the song, ‘Dil ke armaan’! Check out Sanjeev Darshan page, listing no. 17.
75
Aarzoo hai [Kaisay Kahein (2007)] <TC>
Composers: Imran Ali and Subhendu Mukherjee
Lifted from Chandrabindoo’s ‘Aaj abar’ from the 1999 album ‘Twaker Jatna Nin’.
Listen to Aarzoo hai | Aaj abar
With so much attention on Pritam’s lifting spree, here’s a case where the man is perhaps not connected at all and still is being blamed – just because he has composed 2 other songs in the soundtrack. A report in Calcutta Times on August 10th has the Bangla band Chandrabindoo and their record label fuming. Reason: Their song, ‘Aaj abar’ from the 1999 album ‘Twaker Jatna Nin’ is lifted pretty much directly as ‘Aarzoo hai’, in the soundtrack of Kaisay Kahein (2007). The funny thing is Pritam has composed just two tracks (Kee kasoor and the title song) and has been specifically credited just for those. The other tracks are credited to their respective composers – quite unusually for a Hindi film soundtrack – a great feat in itself. Despite that, our Chandrabindoo friends talk at great length about how their former band member Pritam sought their permission to use ‘Aaj abar’ and then forgot all about the crediting bit and so on. I wonder what the actual truth is, since the much-maligned Pritam is completely out of the picture even in the CD sleeve, as regards this particular track!
76
Yamma yamma [Chinatown (1962)] <TC>
Composer: Ravi
Lifted from the Persian folk track, ‘Mastom mastom’.
Listen to Yamma yamma | Mastom Mastom – Pari Zangeneh | Mitra
The song is a blatant lift from a traditional Persian song called, ‘Mastom mastom’ made popular by many singers. The versions included include are by Pari Zangeneh and Mitra. The song even features a small piece that’s lifted from the Egyptian track, ‘Ya mustafa’ (which has been lifted since, by R D Burman (No.5 in RDB page) and Nadeem Shravan (No.4 in NS page). Ravi’s mix’n'match skills at work, I suppose.
Watch Chinatown’s Yamma Yamma here!
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78
79
80
Showbiz (2007) <TC>
Composer: Lalit Pandit
‘Tu mujhse’ lifted from Nepali singer Sugam Pokhrel’s 2003 track, ‘Mero mann’, from the album, ‘Highway’.
‘Duniya ne’ lifted off Amr Diab’s ‘Albi Ikhtarak’ from his 2000 album, ‘Tamally Maak’.
‘Mere falak’ lifted from Amr Diab’s ‘We malo’ from the album ‘Kammel Kalamak’ (2005).
‘Kaash ek din’ inspired by Amr Diab’s ‘Ma3ak begad’ from ‘Kammel Kalamak’ again!
Listen to Tu mujhse (Rap version) | Tu mujhse (normal version) | Mero mann
Listen to Duniya ne | Albi Ikhtarak (Rishtey - Deewana deewana)
Listen to Mere falak | We malo
Listen to Kaash ek din | Ma3ak begad
Considering ‘Mere ibadat’ is a small’ish bit song version of Kaash ek din, there are just 4 songs in this soundtrack. All of them are lifted. And, with that Lalit Pandit enters ItwoFS Hall of Shame, along with Sanjeev Darshan (for Mann) for lifting every single song in a soundtrack. A huge round of applause to Lalit Pandit. Interestingly, the film’s promos show Sugam Pokhrel’s name as the original composer of ‘Tu mujhse’ while the audio CD is blissfully unaware of this connection. The other 3 tracks are lifted off Amr Diab, and Albi Ikhtarak has already been adequately lifted by Sanjeev Darshan, as ‘Deewana deewana’ in Rishtey (No. 10, Sanjeev Darshan page)!
81
Govinda Theme – Sarkar Raj (2008) <TC>
Composer: Bapi Tutul
Lifted off the main title theme of Omen II, composed by Jerry Goldsmith.
Listen to Govinda Theme | Omen II – Main Title
Ram Gopal Varma’s love for horror films/ horror film theme pieces continues – into Sarkar Raj. The composer seems to be getting out of work, ignored and neglected composers to compose music based on his personal fetish. So, in Sarkar Raj (2008), for a musical piece titled, ‘Govinda Theme’ he gets Bapi Tutul (again!) to lift and Indianize the Main Title theme of Omen II (1978), which had stunning music by Jerry Goldsmith. RGV, being the maverick he is, even accepts this life in his blog – can someone use this against him and sue him, please?
22. I could recollect omen II listening to the tracks of Sarkar Raj.
Ans: – Yes I copied it from there. I saw Omen II seven times in Vijaywada, Leela Mahal just to listen to the title track.
82
Chhodiye gussa huzoor – Detective (1958) <TC>
Composer: Mukul Roy
Inspired by the 50s hit, Bimbo.
Listen to Chhodiye gussa huzoor | Bimbo (Jim Reeves’ version)
Mukul Roy’s score in the 1958 Pradeep Kumar, Mala Sinha starrer, Detective is already tainted – ‘Do chamkti aankhon mein’ lifted straight off Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jamaica Farewell’. Here’s the second – ‘Chhodiye gussa huzoor’ inspired by the 50s hit, ‘Bimbo’. Bimbo was first written by Rodney Morris and recorded by Gene Autry in 1953. The song was released as a 78 rpm single by Capitol Records. But the song became a massive hit when Jim Reeves covered it shortly thereafter – it was one of the early hits of Jim Reeves. Mukul Roy, despite the tag of being Geeta (Roy) Dutt’s brother, seems to have composed for just three films and Detective is one of them.

Shankar Jaikishen [Hindi]

Shankar Jaikishen [Hindi]

1
Hai na bolo bolo [Film: Andaz]
From the song ‘Papa loves mama’. Looking for more details!
Yet to be confirmed (YTC).
2
Dil use do jo jaan de de [Film: Andaz (1971)] <TC>
From the song ‘With a little help from my friends’ by Beatles (1967)!
Listen to Dil use do | With a little help from my friends
Sure, inspired. But good work on the improvisation.
3
Dekho, ab to [Film: Jaanwar] <TC>
From the song ‘I want to hold your hand’ by Beatles!
Listen to Dekho ab to | I wanna hold your hands
Inspired!
4
Gumnaam hai koi [Film: Gumnaam] <TC>
From Henry Mancini’s theme for the movie Charade!
Listen to Gumnaam | Charade theme
Copied!
5
Bin dekhe aur bin pehchane [Film: Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1961)] <TC>
From the song ‘Dancing Eyes’ (Abbo Oubib Ghanoura), from the collection ‘Music for an Arabian Night’ (1959) by Ron Goodwin.
Listen to Bin dekhe bin pehchane (Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai) – Dancing Eyes (Abbo Oubib Ghanoura)
Rahbani Brothers were the composers of the original, ‘Abbo Oubib Ghanoura’
6
Main aashiq hun bahaaron ka [Film: Aashiq] <TC>
From the song ‘Return to Paradise’ (Sanargi’u), from the collection ‘Music for an Arabian Night’ (1959) by Ron Goodwin.
Listen to Main aashiq hoon (Aashiq) – Return to Paradise (Sanargi’u)
Rahbani Brothers were the composers of the original, ‘Sanargi’u’
7
Kaun hai jo sapnon mein aaya [Film: Jhuk gayaa aasmaan] <TC>
From Elvis Presley’s song Margarita from the movie Fun in Acapulco
Listen to Kaun hai jo | Marguerita
LSB!
8
Aa ab laut chalen [Film: Jis desh mein ganga behti hain] <TC>
Inspired by the Italian number ‘Ciao ciao bambina’. The version added here is by Domenico Modungo which was released in 1959. The Hindi movie came out in 1961.
Listen to Aa ab laut chalen | Ciao ciao bambina
Inspired.
9
Aaj ki raat [Film: Aman] <TC>
Inspired by Too much tequila by The Champs (1960)
Listen to Aaj ki raat | Too much tequila
Inspired.
10
Aaja sanam [Film: Chori chori (1956)] <TC>
Inspired by the Italian folk tune, ‘Tarantella’
Listen to Aaja sanam | Tarantella
Shankar Jaikishen version that has a rather slow tempo and a more coherent melody added to it, which makes a fantastic inspiration! Also see S D Burman’s version of the same – SDB page, 3rd item.
11
Suku suku [Film: Junglee (1961)]<TC>
Inspired by Nina and Frederik’s ‘Sucu sucu’ (1961)!
Listen to Suku suku (Junglee) | Sucu Sucu (Nina and Frederik)
The inspiration is pretty straight but SJ have considerably changed the pace, tune and almost everything else (wonder why they didn’t change the words ‘suku suku’…they could’ve avoided an ‘obvious’ clue!) to suit Shammi Kapoor!
Trivia note on the original’s composers: From the late 1950s right through until the mid-1960s, the aristocratic duo Nina & Frederik entertained audiences across Europe and North America with their ‘Pop’ slanted Folk and Calypso singing. Frederik was Baron van Pallandt, son of the Dutch ambassador to Denmark, Nina was Danish, they married in 1960. They also had an extraordinary knack of making Christmas records, an all-year round listening! IN Europe, they introduced a sanitized version of calypso (Frederick had studied at an agricultural college in Trinidad) to their fans.
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Itni badi mehfil [Film: Dil apna aur preet paraye (1960)] <TC>
Inspired by the 1955 Harry Belafonte number ‘Banana Boat Song’!
Listen to Itni badi mehfil | Banana boat song
‘Banana boat song’  was also called ‘Day-o’. Credits: Words and Music by : Harry Belafonte, Lord Burgess and William Attaway.
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Do mastane…tu ru ku [Film: Main sundar hoon (1971)] <TC>
Inspired by the 1960 Elvis number, ‘Wooden heart’!
Listen to Tu ru ku (Do mastane) | Wooden Heart
Elvis’s Wooden Heart was released as the soundtrack of the 1960 Elvis starrer by the same name. In the movie Elvis sings this number in English and German to at a puppet show while on a date with the film’s leading lady, Juliet Prowse. The fact is that Elvis’ number (Written by Fred Wise, Bert Kaempfert & Kay Twomey) is based on a German folk song which goes ‘Muß i’ denn zum Städtele hinaus…’ or ‘Muss i’den’ as we can comfortably call it in English! This song was composed by Philipp Friedrich Silcher in 1827! But again, one online Silcher biography calls him as, “…a preeminent composer, poet, editor, music teacher, director, and preserver of German folk song and traditional choral music”. So if he is merely a preserver he may not be the composer of muss i’den…I may be wrong here but I think I can safely attribute muss i’den to Silcher at this point! Listen to all the 3 versions to see the amount of work that has gone behind each of them! The Hindi version is in no way a direct lift and the similarity is probably restricted to the prominent humming which goes, ‘Tu ru ku’!
Listen to
Muss i’den (This version is by Marlene Dietrich)
14
Koyi Bulaye Aur Koyi Aaye [Apne Huye Paraye (1964)] <TC>
Inspired by ‘Old Beirut’, from the compilation ‘Music for an Arabian Night’. Originally titled ‘Hala La Laya’, composed by Rahbani Brothers.
Listen to Koyi Bulaye | Old Beirut
Inspired!
15
Ghar aaya mera pardesi [Awara (1952)] <TC>
Inspired by a song by the Egyptian Diva Umm Khalthoum.
Listen to Ghar aaya mera pardesi | Song by Umm Khalthoum
The original title of the song by Umm Khalthoum is ‘Ala Balad El Mahboub’. The meaning of this title happens to be ‘My beloved came home’. The best site on Umm Khalthoum is ‘al mashriq’ and this page has one of the most authentic discographies even though the webmaster himself agrees that he’s not sure about many songs’ details, however…this is the best we could get, I presume. In this discography, this song is mentioned a couple of times and one of the side notes along with this song includes SONO 150 that denotes the Sonodisc France CDs. When you do page search for ‘ala balad’ in this page, the first result you get lists this track as part of 8 songs from a movie named ‘Wedad’ (also called ‘Widad’). Now check the list of Umm Khalthoum movies in the same page….the first movie listed is ‘Widad’ and the release date is 1936! Its quite possible that in 1936 the songs were not released in LPs and were probably released later! But as far as we can deduce from the above, this song appeared first (on screen) in 1936, giving SJ 16 years to listen to it from some source!
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Soch Rahi Ki Kahoon Na Kahoon [Ek Phool Char Kaante (1960)] <TC>
Inspired by the 1957 Italian track by name, ‘Piccolissima Serenata’.
Listen to Soch rahi ki kahoon na kahoon | Piccolissima Serenata
‘Piccolissima Serenata’ (‘A tiny serenade’ or ‘smallest serenade’), composed by Gianni Ferrio & Antonio Amurri was made popular by singers like Teddy Reno, Renato Carosone and Claudius Villa. The version included here is by Renato Carosone.
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Aiga aiga [Boyfriend (1961)] <TC>
Inspired by Connie Francis’ 1958 swinging chartbuster, ‘Stupid Cupid’.
Listen to Aiga aiga | Stupid cupid
Obvious lift!
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Leja leja [An evening in Paris (1967)] <TC>
Inspired by the single by The Shadows, “Man of Mystery” (1960).
Listen to Leja leja | Man of Mystery
Lifted. Interesting!
Trivia: All about The Shadows!
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Jiya ho [Jab pyar kissi se hota hai (1961)] <TC>
Inspired by Sarah Vaughan’s 1958 track, Broken Hearted Melody!
Listen to Jiya ho | Broken Hearted Melody
Very interesting adaptation!
20
Jaane bhi de sanam mujhe [Around The World (1967)] <TC>
Inspired by a 1963 Beatles track, ‘I’ll get you’!
Listen to Jaane bhi de sanam | I’ll get you
Actually, the way I’ll get you starts has been modified by Shankar Jaikishen to add a more Hindi film’ish (reminds me of OP Nayyar’s ‘Aayiye Meherbaan’ incidentally!) drawl but when the Beatles go ‘Its easy ‘cos I know’ in line 2, you sure get a smile on your lips when it hits you how Shankar Jaikishen have played around with the original!
21
Sayonara [Love in Tokyo (1966)] <TC>
Inspired by Albert Ketelby’s 1920 orchestral piece, ‘In a Persian Market’.
Listen to Sayonara | In a Persian Market
One would expect Shankar Jaikishen to lift from something Japanese for this superhit track. But the duo actually sought inspiration (at least for the 2 opening lines…the rest has been adequately modified) from a track titled ‘In a Persian Market’ and for obvious reasons, most of us Indians would think even the source sounds Japanese, even though it was intended as Persian…maybe ‘cos of the sheer number of times we’ve seen the Hindi track with Asha Parekh’s Jap make-up! ‘In a Persian Market’ is an orchestral piece by Albert Ketelbey, scored in 1920. The version of ‘Persian Market’ added here is by a popular Japanese guitarist, Takeshi Terauchi, who interpreted Ketelbey’s original track in his own electric-guitar style and this probably is the only Japanese connection with the Hindi track, even though this was part of an album, ‘Lets go classics’ that came out in 1967, an year after Love in Tokyo was released!
22
Ajeeb dastan hai yeh [Dil apna aur preet parai (1960)] <TC>
Possible inspiration from Jim Reeves 1956 hit, ‘My lips are sealed’
Listen to Ajeeb dastan | My lips are sealed
I was convinced even the first time I heard Jim’s classic hit long ago, but something was stopping me. But, I’m going with it now – there’s definitely a similarity though the effort of our composing duo shows up clearly…smoothening the corners here and there, making the flow work better in a female version and generally making it much more film-friendly. This one’s for the records, as a great example of a perfect Indian adaptation.
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Panchi banoon [Chori Chori (1956)] <TC>
Inspired by the classic Scottish song, ‘Coming through the rye’
Listen to Panchi banoon | Coming through the rye
Robert Burns wrote the immortal Scottish song, ‘Coming through the rye’ (It goes, ‘If a body meet a body, coming through the rye…’). One of the most popular musical versions of this song is Larry Groce’s, which he composed as part of Disney’s Children’s favorite songs collection. The tune for the first two lines is perhaps the inspiration for Shankar Jaikishan’s Hindi version, though we remember it in its entirety – beyond the first two lines – so very affectionately.
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Rasa Sayang [Singapore (1959)] <TC>
Lifted off an Indonesian folk song of the same name!
Listen to Rasa sayang (Hindi) | Rasa sayang (Malaysian Tourism promo) | Rasa sayang (Instrumental version from Insulinde)
It seems the Malaysians and Indonesians have been on each others’ throat since October 2007. The reason? The Malaysians using an Indonesian folk song to promote Malaysian tourism! The song in question? Rasa Sayang Re. Malaysian tourism minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor says that Indonesians could not claim ownership to this song since it is a folk song from the Malay archipelago and does not necessarily belong to any specific country. Indonesian Tourism and Cultural Minister Jero Wacik on the other hand seems to be investigating whether they could claim copyright to this song and sue Malaysia for commercial use of an Indonesian song. While these two gentleman fight it out, as Joi pointed out, our composing duo Shankar Jaikishan have conveniently lifted this song to create a Hindi avataar starting with the same words for the 1959 Shammi Kapoor starrer, somewhat aptly titled, Singapore! In fact, M Veera Pandian has written a fairly balanced and appropriate article titled, ‘We’ve lost that loving feeling‘ in The Star, on October 11, 2007 – and, he mentions this Hindi lift too! The song has also been used in a pre-World War II silent movie titled ‘Insulinde’, made by the Dutch East Indies Government to showcase Indonesia. So, how many people would Indonesia go about suing, on final count?

Relevant videos: Insulinde clip | Malaysian tourism promo | Children’s version of Rasa Sayang with the lyrics!