COPY CAT, KILL A RAT, SUNDAY MONDAY EAT THE RAT!

In this era of Pritam, where plagiarising music is now commonplace and an original composition is as likely to come by as respect for women in Yo Yo Honey Singh's songs, we all looked back with some solace at the yester-years of Indian cinema, where stalwarts like R.D Burman and O.P Nayyar created wonderful, melodic and original music. As it turns out, they didn't really go original all the time. Want proof? Here it is.

1. "Dilbar mere, kab tak mujhe." Satte Pe Satta, 1982 - Zigeunerjunge, by Alexandra, 1967

Naughty naughty Pancham Da.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oP3wTkE0Y5w[/YOUTUBE]

2. "Akele hain toh kya ghum hai." Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, 1988 - Return to the Alamo, by The Shadows, 1977

Now this is just a straight up lift by Anand Milind.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_xR_vfH9wUw[/YOUTUBE]

3. "Koi mil gaya. Mera dil gaya." Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, 1998 - Take That Look Off Your Face, by Andrew Lloyd Webber, performed by Marti Webb, 1980

Here we have Jatin-Lalit, blurring the lines between inspiration and copying. This one isn't exactly old, but will hurt you right in the childhood.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZFQ8oeIeuSU[/YOUTUBE]

4. "Laila o laila."Qurbani, 1980 - Chicano, by Black Blood, 1975

Very clever Kalyanji Anandji, very clever.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8QgleJB0MVc[/YOUTUBE]

5. "Bahut pyaar karte hain." Saajan, 1991 - Bahut khoobsurat hai mera sanam, by M Ashraf, sung by Mehdi Hassan, for the Pakistani film, 'Aabshar' (1978)

Nadeem Shravan being sneaky. And failing...

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n8sY-TRFq3E[/YOUTUBE]

6. "Yeh hai Bombay meri jaan." CID, 1956 - My darling Clementine, usually credited to Percy Montrose (1884), performed here by Freddy Quinn

Ladies and gentleman, Mr. O.P Nayyar, ripping off music.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TqZgyX0sUnQ[/YOUTUBE]

7. "Gumnaam hai koi." Gumnaam, 1965 - Henry Mancini's theme for the movie Charade,1963

So, one of the creepiest tracks ever created in Indian cinema is a lift? Meh.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NZ1ANlvn3rs[/YOUTUBE]

Sourced from itwofs.com

He doesn't rip off entire songs (too clever and too well-known to risk that), but lot of his 'antara's' and 'mukhdas' (basically some parts of the song have been heavily 'inspired by Western Classical Compositions. Especially in Tamil films!

The opening section of one song in his film Iruvar was a direct lift off from a Piano Composition by a Western Artist.

That song, 'Oh Humdum Suniyo Re' from Saathiya was inspired by one of Backstree Boys songs.

Tu Bin Bataye from RDB was lifted from a very old German classial composition by Kaempfert's.

One song from Roja was inspired by the theme song of Chariots of Fire.

The song Muqabala was also inspired by an African Tribal Song.

And many more.

In his defence, his knowledge of music compared to the other chaps in the Industry is far refined and sophisticated...hence, you can't accuse him of actually 'copying'. I would say that he is one those very few, genuine artists who take inspiration from certain compositions and take their own spin on it!

But to answer your question, I don't think he is wholly original either!