Besharam Jatin Lalit, Pyar ki ghanti plagiarized.

BESHARAM NUMBER COPIED?

Vickey Lalwani

Copy cat rumours refuse to let go of Ranbir Kapoor. After the controversy surrounding Barfi!'s uncanny resemblance to Charlie Chaplin capers, now it is the much talked about Besharam number Pyar ki ghanti.
The song which also features the actor's vocals went viral last week, but there is a screechy footnote involved: the number is almost a straight lift from the Italian song Bella ciao.
The song was popular among the anti-fascist resistance movement of the 1940s and another hit version was recorded by Italian folk singer Giovanna Daffini in 1962.
When contacted, composer Lalit Pandit sounded rather unapologetic about the gaffe. "Well yeah, I know this. But I think it is only the starting part which is similar to Bella ciao. When Abhinav gave me the brief, I told him about the Italian number and it fit the bill perfectly. I don't think we have done anything wrong." he said.
When asked whether he had taken the requisite permissions before using the tune, Lalit said, "The song was composed some 60 years ago and has been in the public domain ever since. After that there is no need to seek permission."
This is also not the first "copy" controversy for the film's director Abhinav Kashyap and the composer. Their previous collaboration, the (in)famous number Munni badnaam hui number from Dabangg was based on the song Ladka badnaam hua haseena tere liye from the 1993 Pakistani film, Mr Charlie.