Pakistani Music Gems that are Recreated by Bollywood

When Bollywood Hit Replay on Pakistan’s Playlist

From soulful qawwalis to timeless ghazals, Pakistani music has left an undeniable mark on the global music industry and Bollywood, even if the credit isn’t always given where it’s due.

Bollywood has produced some of the most iconic songs that we’ve all grooved to whether in private bathroom concerts (don’t lie) or at some over-the-top wedding extravaganza. Truth be told, whenever you have busted a move to Munni Badnaam Hui (Dabangg) you were actually spicing things up to the composition of “Larka Badnam Hua Haseena Tere Liye”, a 1992 Pakistani qawwali from the film Mr. Charlie. Yep, might want to rethink all those choreographed dance moves again. 

Munni isn’t the only case!

Take a moment and think about the songs you love to hum, the ones that make you tap your feet without even realizing it. Many of these chartbusters were inspired, or in some cases, directly adapted from Pakistani music. Legendary Pakistani artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan have all shaped the memorable Bollywood melodies we know of to this date!

While some Bollywood filmmakers and music directors do credit the original composers and obtain official licenses to use Pakistani songs, many others choose to copy them without permission.

This has led to allegations of plagiarism and copyright infringement, resulting in lengthy legal battles and controversies. Take for example, the on-going battle between Abrar-Ul-Haq, singer of the 2002 classic Nach Punjaban and the Indian music record label giant T series, holding upto 35% shares in the Indian music market, for releasing the rehashed version The Punjaabban Song.

So, no, this is not the only “inspired” musical hit actor Varun Dhawaan has found himself amidst. The Disco Song from the super-hit Bollywood movie Student Of The Year (2012) was also a blatant copy from Pakistani Pop singer Nazia Hassan’s song Disco Deewane (1981).

Oh wait, there’s more

The fusion of Pakistani and Indian musical traditions has indeed given rise to new genres and sub-genres of music, further enriching the cultural landscape of both countries and their extended history. However, here are some examples of Bollywood songs that are believed to have been copied instead of being inspired by Pakistani tunes:

  1. “Mere Rashke Qamar” – A 2017 hit featuring Ajay Devgn and Ileana D’Cruz, originally a qawwali by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

     

  2. “Teri Meri Kahani” – From Gabbar is Back, starring Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor, adapted from Abida Parveen’s Ranjha Ranjha Kardi.

     

  3. “Tere Bina” – Featuring Salman Khan and Jacqueline Fernandez, inspired by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s Tere Bina Nahin Lagda Dil Mera Dholna.

     

  4. “Tumhe Apna Banane Ka” – From Hate Story 3, an alleged remake of Mohammed Rafi’s Tumhe Apna Banane Ki Kasam.

  5. Mera Piya Ghar Aaya (Yaraana, 1995) – Echoes Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s qawwali “Mera Piya Ghar Aya” released two years earlier

Possibly, there are more “inspired” renditions of classic Bollywood tunes waiting to be caught by the music police. And while music knows no borders, copyrights definitely do. Every composer is free to borrow or adapt a tune, so long as the original creator gets the credit (and the royalties) they deserve. Because honestly, what would Munni sound like if there was no Mr. Charlie? Could wedding dances survive that tragedy?