Letters
 

Yaar tune kya copy kiya

Sandeep Chowta may have won the Filmfare award for best background score, but Karthik S thinks he is a shameless plagiarist. Deep Purple's India concert continues to provoke debate, and Lagaan reminds a reader of vintage music

(Reader S Karthik on his campaign against plagiarism and his run-in with a star reviewer)

Dear Divya,

Even if this comes a bit late and even at the risk of sounding like a total spoilsport, I'd like to write this to you!

This is with regard to Pyar Tune Kya Kiya!

The title song is inspired from the Theme track of Exorcist II The Heretic, composed by Ennio Morricone.
http://hammer.prohosting.com/~cyberkar/ExorcistII-TheHeretic.rm

The song Kambhakth ishq is inspired by the song Eireann from the Afro Celt Sound System II.
http://hammer.prohosting.com/~cyberkar/Eireann.rm

The song Raundhe....ok you had clearly mentioned this, great.
http://hammer.prohosting.com/~arr/vampirehunters.rm

But Sandeep has the audacity to talk to a person like Subash K Jha about his so called novel idea of giving credit to original composers. No doubt he has credited W Killar, but I really wonder why he so comfortably forgot Mr Morricone or Afro Celt Sound System, who have been so helpful. Also Sandeep seems to have a special attraction to Horror movie soundtracks! Exorcist II
and Bram Stroker's Dracula (in whose OST you'd find Vampire Hunters) - are both in one movie!

I wrote about this to Indya. This is what they have to say!

"While we appreciate your views, we would also like you to know that Sandeep Chowta credited his inspiration in Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, just as he did to R D Burman, when he borrowed Poochho na yaar for his film Mast.  Thanks again for taking the time to communicate with us."

Sandeep Chowta in his Indya interview about Pyar tune kya kiya and his pop album with Alisha Chinai:


I think my album with Alisha and my songs and music in Rajat Mukherjee's films will do the trick for me. I'm especially excited about my Alisha project. In it I've drawn a balance between what the market wants and what I want to do. For the first time I sound simple in my arrangements. Then I am so happy with my Rondhe hai track for Rajat Mukherjee's film. It's really something. The orchestration hits you with an unbelievable force.

I wrote about this to Mr Jha himself and this is what he has to say!

"If Sandeep Chowta has really copied these songs, he'll be exposed. But that doesn't make my appreciation of his style and his immense grasp over the grammar of composition any less valid. Do yourself a favour, Mr Karthik--don't read my reviews. Subhash Jha"

--Well, if people like Jha keep falling at Sandeep's feet (he did it again for an interview with Sandeep in The Newspaper Today!), how will he ever get exposed? This is the height of hypocrisy!

I have nothing against PTKK or Sandeep, in fact loved the album. Till I read Sandeep's interview with Jha in India Abroad!
http://arts.indiaabroad.com/2k1/02/19/19chowta.html

Let's just wait and watch how long Sandeep can go on with others' tunes!

Warm Regards
Karthik


Was it a joke, after all?

Dear Editor

Saw your review of the Deep Purple show. Well, it was worse than an April Fool's joke. Waste of time and filled with total nonsense and mayhem. Can't make out what you liked about it. The sound system was awful and the total length of the show less than even a Hollywood movie.

As for the crowd, less said the better. I AM VERY SURE THAT DEEP PURPLE WILL NEVER AGAIN VISIT INDIA IN THEIR LIFETIME. And those guys at DNA, they showed us how to mess up a good band with lousy arrangement. For guys like you who think the arrival of Deep Purple is good news think again. Such management will only discourage other bands. Think about it. Hope you still have some brains left after the show.

IF YOU FEEL OFFENDED BY THIS MAIL, I AM VERY SORRY. BUT I SPEAK MY HEART OUT. AFTER ALL, ANYTHING FOR MUSIC.

Rajesh