- Cocktail 2 stars Shahid Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Kriti Sanon and releases June 19
- The song Mashooqa from Cocktail 2 faces plagiarism claims comparing it to a 1993 Italian track
- Singer Raghav Chaitanya defended composer Pritam, calling the plagiarism allegations baseless
Cocktail 2, starring Shahid Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Kriti Sanon, is among the most anticipated films of the year. But a month before its release, the film has sparked controversy after its recently released song Mashooqa was labelled as plagiarised. The track has drawn comparisons to the 1993 Italian song Se So Arrubate A Nonna by duo Bibi & Coco, with claims that it sounds similar.
Singer Raghav Chaitanya, though, has come forward to defend music composer Pritam Chakraborty, calling the plagiarism allegations “completely baseless.”
Chaitanya, who lent his voice to the song, posted a note in support of Pritam. He said he felt it was important to address the ongoing speculation directly. The note reads, “There has been a lot of conversation around the song Mashooqa, and I feel it's important to address the ongoing speculation directly. The allegations of plagiarism against Pritam da are completely baseless."
“As someone who has sung the song and been closely associated with its creative process, I can confidently say that Mashooqa is an original composition,”he added.
Pointing to the ongoing buzz over the song's familiarity, he explained, “In music, certain melodic movements or motifs can occasionally evoke familiarity because there are only so many ways emotions can be expressed musically. A motivic similarity does not amount to copying or plagiarism,
He further stated that describing Mashooqa as an inspired track would be “inaccurate.” He clarified, “To call this song inspired by another track is itself inaccurate, because the composition, arrangement, emotion and treatment of Mashooqa are entirely its own."
It is important not to judge a piece of music based on partial impressions circulating online, he said. “Pritam da has contributed immensely to Indian music for decades, and reducing creative coincidence to plagiarism undermines the integrity and hard work of everyone involved. I would urge listeners to experience the song in its entirety before jumping to conclusions based on short clips or online comparisons,” he said.
“There is already so much negativity in the world, let's please spread some love," Chaitanya concluded.
Helmed by Homi Adajania, Cocktail 2 is believed to be a spiritual sequel to the 2012 hit, which featured Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Diana Penty as the lead. Cocktail 2 is set to hit the theatres on June 19.
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