Pritam : The Copycat (yet talented) Musician

Pritam Chakraborty, popularly known as Pritam is an upcoming Bollywood Music Director. The following movies' music is by him :

• Dhoom
• Gangster
• Woh Lamhe
• Pyar Ke Side Effects
• Garam Masala
• Bhagam Bhag
• Just Married
• Bas Ek Pal
• Chocolate
• Ankahee
• Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai
• Apna Sapna Money Money
• Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena
• Dhoom 2
• Hat Trick

“Wow, what a track-record. Consistency ! Phenomenal ! Adbhut !” That’s a natural reaction of any person who doesn’t know him too well.

This guy has been lifting tunes from all over the globe and using them as a shortcut to fame.

When everyone’s blaming Anu Malik for lifting tunes, this guy would definitely surpass him in the race. Just that Anu Malik picked songs like Macarena, Last Christmas and many of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s tracks amongst others (which were too popular in India to be overlooked).

And our guy Pritam has lifted tracks that people might not have heard at all. He seems inspired by Bisleri’s punchline - “PLAY SAFE”

My vocabulary is really poor. But a word I just can't stop using here is Plagiarism.

Plagiarism : Plagiarism is the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another artist, and the representation of them as one's own original work. (Source : www.wikipedia.com)

Where I learnt this word from is a story in itself. That would need another Blog on Prof. Sankaran from TAPMI.

So here the list goes for Pritam :

• Dhoom Machale (Dhoom) - Mario Takes A Walk (Jesse Cook)
• Dil Bole Shikdum (Dhoom) - Sikidim (Tarkan)
• Ya Ali (Gangster) - Ya Ghali (Guitara)
• Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai (Gangster) - Sacral Nirvana (Buddha Bar)
• Lamha Lamha (Gangster) - Kal Shab Dekha Maine (Waris Baig)
• Bheegi Bheegi (Gangster) - Prithibi (Mohiner Ghoraguli)
• Tu Jo Nahin (Woh Lamhe) - Tu Jo Nahin (Sunny Benjamin John)
• Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai (Woh Lamhe) - Tak Bisakah (Peter Pan)
• Tell me Is This Love (Pyar Ke Side Effects) - A Mi Manera (Gypsy Kings)
• Ada (Garam Masala) - Ana (Amr Diab)
• Dil Samundar (Garam Masala) - Kuzu Kuzu (Tarkan)
• Chori Chori (Garam Masala) - Hai Rabba (Dr. Zeus)
• Bhagam Bhag (Bhagam Bhag) - Hey Mambo (Rosemary Clooney)
• Hai Ishq Yeh Kya Ek Khata (Bas Ek Pal) - Arabiyon Ana (Yuri Mrakadi)
• Zahreeli Ratein (Chocolate) - Aadat (Jal / Atif Aslam)
• Halka Halka Sa Yeh Nasha (Chocolate) - Breeze from Saintes Maries (Jesse Cook)
• Bheega Bheega Sa Yeh December (Chocolate) - Bheega Bheega Se Yeh December (Abrar Ul Haq)
• Dil Mein Baji Guitar (Apna Sapna Money Money) - Sheloha Shela (Miami Band)
• Akhiyan Na Maar (Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena) - Chhalla (Waris Baig)
• Jal Jal Ke (Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena) - Arabiyon Ana (Yuri Mrakadi)
• Jhoom (Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena) - Joy Of Pepsi (Britney Spears in Pepsi Advt.)

This list might not be exhaustive.

But on the flip side, I really like some of the songs composed by Pritam. He’s given some really good original compositions :

• Ankahee - Believe me it was the best album of the Year 2006. Unbelieveably good, unbelievably Pritam and unbelievably original. The songs are really powerful and leave an impact on both your heart and mind. It’s a story told through songs - Vikram Bhatt and Sushmita Sen's short love story. The movie was a disaster at the Box-Office, and hence the music went unnoticed.
• Pyar Ke Side Effects - Jane Kya Chahe Man is another composition that touches the heart. All credit goes to Pritam.
  Infact what prompted me to write this blog was another song of this movie - Tell Me Is This Love. The song was really nice and I just loved it. Later I found that it was a note-to-note copy of A Mi Manera by Gypsy Kings.Couldn’t forgive him for this one.
• Woh Lamhe - Chal Chalein Apne Ghar and Bin Tere Kya Hai Jeena are two more really nice compositions by Pritam. James (Bheegi Bheegi - Gangster) has lent his heavy voice to the former song, and it really makes you believe that his potential is being majorly underused in Bollywood.
• Just Married - The movie has some really nice peppy numbers like Ram Milaye Jodi and Baat Pakki. Gudgudi needs a special mention here. Pritam’s trademark melody (Ankahee kinds) can be recognized without much effort.
• Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai - Sharara Sharara was another song which topped the charts on most of the countdowns for several weeks in a row. The song became so famous that Shamita Shetty is still known as the Sharara Sharara babe.

Pritam was born in a music family. He took his first lesons in music from his father - Prabodh Chakraborty, who runs a Music School for children. He had very keen interest in music right from childhood and had learnt Guitar while still in school.

Pritam does know music and has given some really nice songs to us. He's done a course in Sound-Engineering and also learnt African Music.

High time he stops copying and brings out some original stuff. That'll definitely win him more laurels and awards than what he's been doing till now.

The very reason why Gangster wasn't nominated (according to me) for Filmfare Awards inspite of having such wonderful music was the same. The movie had just one original composition Mujhe Mat Roko. All the remaining songs (Ya Ali, Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai, Lamha Lamha) were copies.