In the 80s and 90s, Hindi cinema was led by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Bappi Lahiri, known for their iconic songs. Both faced accusations of copying a melody from foreign singer Mory Kanté. Bappi used it in "Tamma Tamma" from Thanedarar (1990), while Laxmikant-Pyarelal featured it in "Jumma Chumma" for Hum (1991). Let’s see their outbursting responses to these claims.
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00:00And I know that the day this song was recorded,
00:05within 10-15 days of that day,
00:08this song was spread all over the industry.
00:10You can record a lot of songs,
00:13but you should have a style.
00:15The songs that I recorded,
00:18as an arrangement, as a computer song,
00:21have never been recorded.
00:22Because I remember,
00:23I spoke to their producers, directors, everyone.
00:26If it has been done by mistake, then you can improve it.
00:29Because we didn't get a chance like this.
00:31The one who did it first, did it first.
00:38What is this?
00:39There are many professions in the world.
00:43And professions have their own rules and regulations.
00:48Whereas, in our profession,
00:52which is the profession of music,
00:55I and Mr. Perelal are very old in this.
01:00We have worked with Mr. Naushad,
01:03with every musician.
01:06So, in those days,
01:07there were many controversies like this,
01:09which we saw.
01:11And that era was so good,
01:15that if anyone came to know,
01:17that sir, this is so,
01:20that this was done on purpose.
01:23At that time also, it happened many times that,
01:27one thing may have been recorded in two places.
01:30So, they listened,
01:32and then they sat together and discussed about it.
01:35And then, whether it was kept or not,
01:38but such good, healthy things used to happen at that time.
01:43We recorded this song on 26th June 1989.
01:49And I know this for sure,
01:52that the day this song was recorded,
01:55within 10-15 days of that day,
02:00this song was spread all over the industry.
02:03We knew this for sure.
02:05And as a joke, we used to say,
02:07that do one thing,
02:09make a cassette of this song,
02:11and send it to those people,
02:14from where there is a fear of taking or stealing this song.
02:20See, I am not claiming anything.
02:22This song, which is 8 bars in the beginning,
02:25I can say it is 8 bars musically,
02:28we had taken it inspired by that record only 8 times.
02:35But what I am saying is,
02:37that it was so well known in the industry,
02:39that Lakshmikanth Pahalal recorded a song called Jumma Jumma.
02:45And then, when we heard this,
02:48that this song was also recorded by him,
02:50someone else also recorded this song.
02:53So, we, the producers and directors of this film,
02:58we requested each and every connected person,
03:05that see, if this has happened by mistake,
03:07then do something about it.
03:11I had a big discussion with the producers of that film,
03:15and I requested them a lot,
03:17that don't do this.
03:20So, they gave me only one answer,
03:22that if you can do it, then why can't we do it.
03:24So, I didn't have to say anything on this.
03:26All I had to say was that,
03:28every profession has its own rules and regulations.
03:31So, it is the right of every person working in the film industry to follow that.
03:36And when you get to know,
03:38now see, you get the stories of the film also,
03:40but we have seen many people,
03:43that after making 8-8 real films,
03:45when they came to know that my story and that film's story are the same,
03:48then they used to sit together,
03:50they used to talk to each other,
03:52if possible, they used to change their angle.
03:54And then, the one who has started,
03:57he should get preference.
04:00If he had recorded this song earlier,
04:03then we would not have taken any objection.
04:06On the contrary, it would have been a very bad thing for us,
04:08that if a musician recorded this song,
04:11and we record it later,
04:13the recording room is also practically the same,
04:15so the people in the recording room tell us,
04:17that sir, see, if you have been inspired from somewhere and done this,
04:20sir, this musician has done this before.
04:24So, we have done many songs, many times,
04:26we have changed it on the set.
04:29And this song had such a wave,
04:31that I feel that the two songs that came later,
04:331-2-3 and 1-2-4,
04:37the day this song was recorded,
04:39that day it had become a super hit song for many years.
04:43And it is going to be a hit song for many years.
04:46You see, today, Amitabh Bachchan
04:48did the song of an under-production film
04:50in his show.
04:53So, his response was there.
04:55So, no one here could have done anything to him.
04:57By the way, no one could have done anything to us.
04:59I knew this.
05:00But, why should this happen?
05:03This was what we had to say.
05:04We did not say that we have written something
05:07and it cannot be changed.
05:08There was no such thing.
05:09But, when you are doing it later,
05:13then we have the right to say that
05:15we have done this.
05:17So, if possible, you can change it.
05:21Otherwise, I would have changed it.
05:24There was no such thing.
05:25So, our saying was that,
05:27knowingly, this thing happened.
05:29This is not good.
05:30I don't understand why this is a controversy.
05:34Because,
05:35neither is it their original song,
05:37nor did I make the original song.
05:40Of course, my song is original.
05:43Full orchestration is original.
05:45Only 8 bars.
05:47The Tamma Tamma people,
05:48the cassette of Mauri Kanti,
05:50those who go to discos,
05:52those who have heard my Habiba song,
05:55which is the top of the chart song,
05:57and along with Habiba,
05:58the Tamma Tamma song of Mauri Kanti group,
06:02this song has been played many times.
06:04And because my song is so popular in the international chart,
06:09when I heard this song,
06:11I liked it.
06:12Then the producer came.
06:14I said,
06:15I like the first 8 bars.
06:18He said,
06:19no, make it according to you.
06:21So, Tamma Tamma people,
06:22like the word Oye Oye,
06:23I have used Gloria Steffan's song in 3Dev.
06:26We want Tamma Tamma people,
06:298 bars,
06:30African tune,
06:31of Afra.
06:33So, I kept it.
06:34After that, I have my own song.
06:35It is an original song.
06:36It is a computer song.
06:38We don't even know what song it is.
06:41Their song might be different.
06:43I have not heard it yet also.
06:47Bappi Lahiri ji says that
06:50Chumma Chumma song was already recorded.
06:52He didn't even know that.
06:55Anyway,
06:56when both the songs have been lifted from the African songs,
07:01then this accusation is on Bappi Lahiri,
07:03because he has stolen your song.
07:06I can tell you with this claim,
07:07I have told you before also,
07:09that this song
07:11was recorded on 26.06.1989
07:13and within a month,
07:16at least 200 cassettes of this song
07:18were available in every house of the film industry.
07:21And if I want, I can prove it to you.
07:25So, it is wrong of anyone to say
07:27that no one had heard this song.
07:31Whoever is associated with the musical world
07:34of the film industry,
07:36every person knew this song.
07:40And this song which came later
07:43in Follow the Star,
07:45this was also the reason for it.
07:50And since this song came in Follow the Star,
07:53you must have seen
07:55where Chumma Chumma was and where not.
08:00So,
08:02doing this was the first wrong thing.
08:05Because I remember,
08:06I had spoken to their producers and directors,
08:08that if it is done by mistake,
08:10then do something about it.
08:13Because we never got a chance like this.
08:15Whoever did it first, did it first.
08:18Lakshmikant ji says that
08:20he recorded the first song
08:23and when it became a super hit,
08:25you stole the song.
08:27What would you say about this?
08:29No, this is
08:31totally wrong.
08:32Because my song was released first.
08:35My song was released first.
08:39My song was released on 15th of January.
08:43All over India it was released.
08:45And as soon as it was released,
08:47it became so popular
08:49that the number of times I go to the function,
08:51the number of times I sing the song,
08:53from February,
08:55till now,
08:57in India, in a foreign country,
08:59and the number of fan letters I receive,
09:01the number of times I sing the song,
09:03and it was still going on,
09:06so, in my opinion,
09:08their song was released later.
09:11I saw their advertisement in the paper,
09:14that is, I think, in May,
09:16the song was released in May or June.
09:18So, there is no question of this,
09:20that I stole their song.
09:22Because, by the grace of God,
09:24I am so busy,
09:26I don't have time to see my family at home.
09:28I don't have time to see my family at home.
09:30Whose song is being recorded?
09:32Where is it being recorded?
09:34And what is this story about?
09:36After 18 years of giving music direction,
09:38after doing 300 films,
09:40this, our standard music director,
09:42we won't do it.
09:44Whose song was it?
09:46What happened after listening to it?
09:48It's a foreign tune.
09:50You can also adopt.
09:52You can record Amma Amma instead of Tamma Tamma.
09:54But your style should be there.
09:56Our style is that,
09:58in India, till date,
10:00the Tamma Tamma songs that I have recorded,
10:02as an arrangement,
10:04as a computer song,
10:06have not been recorded.
10:08Except my song Habiba.
10:10Now, the songs that are being recorded are
10:12Amma Amma and Ghamma Ghamma.
10:14Very good.
10:16So, what would you like to say about this?
10:18God bless them, whatever they have to do.
10:22Now, no matter what anyone does,
10:24one,
10:26even a child will say,
10:28that one
10:30presentation,
10:32which can be done on the face of Amitabh Bachchan,
10:36or a superstar can do it.
10:40Rest, nothing can be done with this song.
10:44Jhumma Jhumma Jhumma Jhumma,
10:46Jhumma Jhumma Jhumma Jhumma will remain.
10:48No, now,
10:50according to me, it will feel like a parody.
10:52Because,
10:54my song, which was released first,
10:56it is so famous,
10:58that song came to them, Jhumma Jhumma.
11:00So, the public does not know,
11:02they also feel,
11:04maybe it is a parody of Tamma Tamma, Jhumma Jhumma.
11:06Now, whatever Amma Amma will come, it will feel like a parody.
11:08And, as you know,
11:10this song is
11:12an adaptation, an art line.
11:14If someone,
11:16how will he do it,
11:18how will his presentation be,
11:20if the public will like it, then it will work.
11:22I think, it will not work anymore.