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Posted: 18 years ago

IN DEMAND: Abhishek Bachchan in Bluffmaster

The song, Right Here Right Now, from Bluffmaster! has led to a conflict of interest. DJ Umer Khan from the US, who remixed the song's dholak version (sung by Abhishek Bachchan) and mailed it to producer-director Rohan Sippy, now claims he wasn't given credit for it.

Sippy played the number on Go 92.5 FM, but in an email from USA, Khan says that when Rohan played it at an awards function, he didn't give him credit for it.

Sippy says

When we checked with Rohan he had this to say, "I played the remix from Umer on Go 92.5 FM after he sent it to me, acknowledging it as his. After that, Bunty Walia contacted me for the original track, since he was organising Abhishek's performance at Filmfare, and he wanted to remix it.

I asked him to contact SaReGaMa, since they were physically in possession of the original track; and were legally in a position to decide how it could be used. That is all that I know about the remix. I do not know whether they used Umer's track, or made a fresh remix out of it.

OOPS: Rohan Sippy

As far as I know, only SaReGaMa can authorise it. I hope this clarifies my position. In case you need to pursue this further, you will have to speak to Bunty and SaReGaMa."

"There are many remixes of Right Here Right Now. HMV itself has authorised two remixes. Bunty wanted to use my track (unmixed) and I said okay. I don't know which remix they have used for the Filmfare awards," adds Sippy, who has just completed directing a soft drink commercial with Zayed Khan.

"It was a fun shoot. Zayed is a great blend of masti and attitude and we have tried to cover that. The ad might release end of this month," he says. Rohan has earlier done other ads, including one with Bipasha Basu.

He says he's happy with the collections of his latest production, Taxi No 9211. "It's rock-steady in the fourth week. We have even made it to the Amul hoardings, which, I guess, is another stamp of success."

DJ Umer Khan's email to MiD DAY

In an email from USA, DJ Khan says, "With reference to the Right Here Right Now (dholak/drum mix) I just wanted to let MiD DAY know that Rohan Sippy told me that he played my remix to HMV and they want to release it. Later, he stopped replying to my mails.

And then he used a segment of my remix in the Filmfare Awards, without my permission. I don't think it's fair of him to steal my work and use it without even telling me. I would really appreciate it, if we can spread this news, and even ask Rohan why he isn't replying to my emails, and why he did this."