Daboo Malik has finally made a statement backing his son, music composer Amaal Mallik, amid the criticism surrounding the music of Awarapan 2. Celebrating the film's box office performance and soundtrack, Daboo called himself a “proud father” and reflected on the negativity Amaal has been facing.
Sharing a selfie on Instagram, Daboo penned a short note. “Messages were sent, calls were made, negativity was spread, and judgements were passed, but sometimes the magic happens against all odds. Congratulations to @visheshb7, @nitinrkakkar, @visheshfilms, @therealemraan, and the full team of AWARAPAN 2…a proud father…a son who dedicated YEH AWARAPAN to his father's journey…I'm flying now,” he wrote.
Daboo's post came shortly after Amaal addressed the criticism surrounding the Yeh Awarapan song. The song composed by Amaal became a talking point on social media, with comparisons drawn between the Awarapan 2 soundtrack and the music of the original film.
Addressing the criticism, Amaal alleged that a “paid PR campaign” had been organised within the music industry to undermine his work. Sharing his comments, Amaal posted a story on Instagram and wrote, “Criticism is different from manufactured hate.” Following the backlash, Amaal also announced that he was taking a temporary break from film music, saying he needed time to heal his mind, body, and soul.
Amaal, who is the son of composer Daboo Malik and nephew of music director Anu Malik, made his Bollywood debut in 2014 with Salman Khan-starrer Jai Ho. He composed three songs for the film. Amaal also composed songs for many popular films, including Khoobsurat, Roy, Hero, Airlift, Kapoor & Sons, Azhar, M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.
In 2025, Amaal also appeared in the popular reality TV show Bigg Boss Season 19, where he finished among the top five contestants and emerged as the fourth runner-up.
