IPL 2020 anthem faces plagiarism charges, composer dismisses allegations
Mumbai: A Delhi-based rapper has alleged that this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) anthem 'Aayenge Hum Wapas' has been copied from his track, an allegation that has been dismissed by the composer of the recently released song.
Rapper Krishna Kaul aka KRSNA claims the track has been lifted from his song "Dekh Kaun Aaya Waapas" but composer Pranav Ajayrao Malpe said it is his original work and he even has a certificate from Music Composers Association of India (MCAI).
KRSNA told PTI that his team, including the independent hip-hop label Kalamkaar, will take the legal route and approach Disney+Hotstar, which commissioned the song.
"Disney+Hotstar have left no option for us but to seek legal recourse and our label is going to fight this unfair and scandalous plagiarisation," KRSNA said.
Malpe said four MCAI panelists, including musician Leslee Lewis, independently assessed both the songs and did not find any similarity.
"MCAI is an institution of repute and the experts on the panel have a lot of experience. I feel we should respect the experts' views and put this debate to rest," Malpe told PTI.
The composer said the thought behind the track, released on September 6, was to express the struggle everyone was going through during the pandemic "and to give them hope of a comeback."
"Nagpur has a small but budding hip-hop and rap scene which I'm a part of. I'm proud that this track has been liked and that I've been able to put a spotlight on the Nagpur hip-hop scene," he added.
IPL 2020 will be held in the UAE from September 19 to November 10.
In its assessment, the MCAI said other than being of the same genre, the two songs have no similarity melodically, harmonically or rhythmically.
"A genre or rap style however is not copyrightable and doesn't constitute plagiarisation. Hence the panel is of the opinion that there exists substantial difference between the compositions of both the tracks," the statement from MCAI read.
KRSNA, however, said MCAI has no legal standing in the matter and has shown a "shocking lack of understanding" of the genre.
"The MCAI statement is a serious attack on musicians and composers everywhere because their claim that a genre like hip hop cannot be differentiated means everyone is free to copy everybody else - hook, line and sinker," he claimed.
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K’taka cabinet approves cricket matches at M. Chinnaswamy stadium: Reports
Belagavi: The state cabinet under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reportedly given its nod to permit cricket matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, subject to certain conditions.
The decision is learnt to have been taken after a meeting held at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here on Thursday.
Reports indicate that Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara has been directed to formulate rules along with a referendum to hold a cricket match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The cabinet’s approval comes subject to conditions, considering the report of Justice D’Cunha, which was prepared after the stampede.
The June 4 stampede during the celebrations for RCB’s maiden IPL title killed 11 people, which raised serious questions over the stadium's capability to host large-scale events.
Will RCB be playing at their home ground next year?
Stating that the “state had learned from the tragedy,” Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday, December 08, dismissed the talks about shifting Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s home games out of the city.
He also said that the Chinnaswamy Stadium is the “pride of Bengaluru and Karnataka” and vowed that IPL fixtures will continue to be played there.
On Wednesday, Shivakumar met the newly elected KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad at the Circuit House in Belagavi and reiterated that cricket matches, including IPL fixtures, will not be shifted out of Bengaluru.
“We have no intention of stopping matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium, but crowd control measures and the Michael D. Cunha committee’s recommendations will be implemented in phases,” he told reporters.
Shivakumar said the government is committed to promoting cricket and supporting fans while safeguarding the state’s reputation, adding that Prasad had sought the government’s cooperation and agreed to work jointly on the issue.
