Munni Lifted from Pakistani Song

While Munni sang and danced (and made disrepute sound desirable) it would be interesting to see how the producer and music director of “Dabangg” themselves deal with some more badnami now.
    Dabangg’s original soundtrack may be flying off the shelves, but here is a screechy footnote: the album’s chartbuster — “Munni Badnaam Hui” — is a
straight lift from the soundtrack of a Pakistani film – “Mr Charlie” – and the song is “Ladka Badnaam Hua Haseena Tere Liye”. The Pakistani song, which has been copied note for note by Lalit Pandit (of Jatin-Lalit fame) for “Dabangg”, was recorded back in 1993. Interestingly, Abhinav Kashyap had said in an earlier interview that “Munni” was inspired by a UP folk song – “Launda Badnam Hua Naseeban Tere Liye”. Could it be possible that two songs – one in India and another in Pakistan – be inspired by the same song?
    “Ladka Badnaam Hua Haseena Tere Liye” was picturized on Pakistani standup comedian-actor-producer-director Umer Sharif.
    The song’s lyrics are the only original element in its copy in “Dabangg”. When we contacted Sharif in Pakistan, he sounded both amused and angry. “Yeh chori nahin, seena zori hai,” he said, and added that he had heard about the plagiarisation a couple of days ago. “I am more surprised than angry. If one has a name in the industry, every attempt should be made to make sure that it does not get sullied. I wish one of the Khan brothers (Salman/Arbaaz/Sohail) had made at least a courtesy call to me.”
    Sharif said he would raise the matter with the industry in Pakistan and “see what can be done.” Back home in Mumbai, Lalit flatly denied he copied “Ladka Badnaam Hua Haseena Tere Liye”. “Yeh sab galat hai. I am busy in a meeting,” he said before hanging up.
    This is not a first for Lalit so far as allegations of lifting songs go. His former partner Jatin and he had once composed “Haan Haan Yeh Pyaar Hai” for “Dillagi”, a ditty lifted from the classic Frankie Valli song, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”.
    Dabangg’s producer Arbaaz Khan, whose wife Malaika Arora Khan plays the Munni in “Munni Badnaam Hui”, did not respond to calls. Messages left on his cell phone went unanswered. “Munni Badnaam Hui”, meanwhile, has entered the list of top 20 most-frequently played songs on radio in India. As on September 10, the song was ranked number one on the list of chartbusters. The audio rights to “Dabangg” were reportedly sold for a gobsmacking 9.5 crore.