The makers of ‘Cocktail 2’ have released another song from the film, and this one is a romantic and soulful number. Titled ‘Mashooqa’, the track has a sizzling chemistry between them Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon front and center, and it’s already making waves online. While fans have loved the visuals and the couple, the song has sparked a bit of controversy, with a section of netizens claiming that its tune was lifted from a 1993 Italian song titled ‘Se So Arrubate A Nonna’.
Netizens are comparing ‘Mashooqa’ to the 1993 Italian song
A Reddit user sparked controversy after sharing side-by-side clips of Mashooqa and the 1993 Italian song, noting the striking similarities between the two tunes. The post quickly snowballed, with several users piling up and saying the music was almost identical. A user commented, “It’s still a sad song even after Pritam copied it.” Another simply wrote: “Fork found in kitchen.” One comment read: “Copying Bollywood again?” while another said: “It looks like it.” A user also took a dig with a joke, “Pritam can’t stop copying lol.”
Some users defend Pritam
A section of users stepped in to defend composer Pritam, arguing that the similarity could be a case of sampling rather than outright copying. A Reddit user clearly explained: “That’s called sampling, not stealing/copying. It’s when you take the main beat of a song and layer other instruments with altered lyrics. It’s a very popular concept in the music industry. It also shows songs by Pitbull, Taylor Swift, Kanye and many other artists.“
All about the 1993 Italian track
For those who don’t know, ‘Se So Arrubate A Nonna’ is a humorous Neapolitan dialect song by Italian duo Bibi & Coco, released in 1993 on ‘Le Origini Vol. 2′. The title loosely translates to “Kidnapped Grandma” in Neapolitan. The song never entered the global mainstream, but it has built a loyal cult following over the decades.
Pritam has faced allegations of plagiarism
For Pritam, allegations of plagiarism are an old battle. The composer has repeatedly found himself in the limelight over the years, music lovers have highlighted the echoes of international songs in his compositions. One of the most talked about cases was in 2017, when ‘Bulleya’ from ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ was pitted against a ‘Papa Roach’ song, both of which were said to be very similar. Pritam addressed these criticisms in a 2016 interview, candidly acknowledging his past “mistakes” and saying the experience had made him much more cautious with his work.
‘Mashooqa’ composed by Pritam, sung by Raghav Chaitanya and Mahmood Ruaa Kayy
‘Mashooqa’ is composed by Pritam and lyrics are penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya. Raghav Chaitanya and Mahmood Ruaa Kayy have lent their voices to the song, with Mahmood also writing and singing the Italian parts. The song shows Kriti and Shahid’s characters going on a journey together and slowly falling in love.
‘Cocktail 2’ opens in theaters on June 19
‘Cocktail 2’, directed Homi AdajoniaRashmika Mandanna appears in a pivotal role along with Shahid and Kriti. The film is a spiritual sequel to the 2012 romantic hit ‘Cocktail’ which featured Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty. The film will be in theaters on June 19.
