Wo Humsafar Tha, but should they pay royalties?

KARACHI: 

While “Wo Humsafar Tha”, winner of Best Original Soundtrack and Song of The Year at the Lux Style Awards 2012, had its share of celebrations, it seems the festivities will be short-lived. EMI Pakistan has sent a copyrights infringement notice toHum TV, (the channel that aired the widely popular “Humsafar”) regarding the sound track which was composed by Waqar Ali and sung by Quratulain Baloch and received very high ratings (TRPs).

EMI shared documents with The Express Tribune which state that the song “Who Humsafar Tha” was originally composed and sung by legendary singer Abida Parveen for her album “Latest Ghazals by Abida Parveen”, which was released in 1985.

“We sent them a notice about a week ago to get the official license of using this sound track from EMI Pakistan. But so far, they have not got back to us,” Zeeshan Chaudhry, General Manager Marketing, Sales and Strategy at EMI told The Express Tribune. “We’ll send a follow up letter on Wednesday and if we still don’t hear from them, the matter will go into the hands of our legal team.”

Chaudhry spoke about the issue in light of the larger issue of music piracy, saying that people in Pakistan have an unclear and naïve understanding of what it really is. He said that while is it believed locally that creating illegal copies of CDs is piracy, the definition engulfs more. “People are unaware that revamping an already made song in the name of a tribute is a blatant violation of intellectual property rights because neither the label nor the artist gets anything out of it (royalties),” he said.

However, Chaudhry also makes clear that EMI does not intend to bring a decline in the Pakistani music industry, which is the prime reason for why the record company is not putting a high licencing fee on Indian labels that license songs in Pakistan. In the case of “Who Humsafar Tha”, the wrongdoer in the eyes of EMI is an independent production house, which EMI says should take this practice seriously. “We appreciate Hum TV for valuing our content, but at the same time, it is copyrights infringement because they reproduced the song without getting an official licence and fulfilling the necessary legal formalities”.

While Abida Parveen refused to comment on the matter, EMI promised that she would be paid her due share once the other party acquires the licence to her song.

“EMI is known for its credibility and regular return of royalties, Abida Parveen will get whatever the signed agreement says about her share in the revenue,” Chaudhry added.

Despite repeated attempts, The Express Tribune was unable to reach Momina Duraid, CEO of Momina Duraid Productions and producer of TV show “Humsafar”. However, the Public Relations department atHum TV denied receiving any such copyrights infringement notifications.

“We have not received any legal notifications from anyone up till now,” the general manager of the Public Relations department, Shanaz Ramzi told The Express Tribune on behalf of Momina Duraid Productions. “If the matter goes into legal hands because of the lyrics, then we have written permission from the poet, Nasir Turabi himself.”

“Apart from that, the melody is totally different from its previous version and Waqar Ali has exclusively produced this song for the drama ‘Wo Humsafar Tha’,” she added.

When asked why it took so long for them to deliver this notice toHum TV, EMI said that they were involved in a series of other copyright infringement issues, and the process took some time

If EMI’s claim is valid, the case of “Who Humsafar Tha” will surely be amongst the most mindboggling cases of copyrights violations in the history of Pakistani entertainment. Not only did the song become a household melody, it also played a pivotal role in the popularity of the drama “Wo Humsafar Tha”. Quratulain Baloch, who has one “Coke Studio” song to her credit, made it big with this soundtrack and gained great popularity.

However, if EMI’s claim is unfounded, it will lose credibility as a record label company and will come across as one that survives on its own legacy of music – an organisation making desperate attempts to catch someone, somehow.

Disclaimer: The Express Tribune is a sister concern of Express Entertainment, a competitive entertainment channel.

A cocktail of voices from India and Pakistan

LAHORE: 

Bollywood flick Cocktail has released worldwide amidst a steadily growing build-up — while some of it can be explained by cast member Deepika Padukone’s trendy outfits (and that red bikini!), most of it owes to the soundtrack.

If the songs “Tum Hi Bandhu”and “Daaru Desi” have you tapping your feet, here’s something else that will make you smile: four Pakistani singers – Arif Lohar, Javed Bashir, Imran Aziz Mian and Sahir Ali Bagga – have contributed to the Cocktail soundtrack by giving it a new sound and feel. Arif Lohar, one of the biggest names in Punjabi folk music, tells The Express Tribune that the film has provided a bridge for singers and artists in India and Pakistan. Referring to his famous Punjabi track “Jugni”, Lohar says his track represents Pakistani music in a positive manner. “‘Jugni’ has had many versions,” said Lohar. “The situational context of ‘Jugni’ has been adapted in the past – even my father Alam Lohar had sung the song. But it can have different meanings.”

He added that the soundtrack is important in showcasing the growing stature of Bagga, a young musician with great talent. He also said the involvement of Pakistani singers shows that entertainers from both countries can gain popularity across borders.

Bagga’s entry into Bollywood has started out with a bang. With the launch of Cocktail, music critics in India have appreciated his song “Lutna”. Shedding light on the track, Bagga says it arises out of a sad and controversial situation in the movie that is filmed on Gautam, the character of Saif Ali Khan, and his girlfriends. He said that he wanted to take the modern situation but add a classical touch to it while keeping Pakistan in the loop as well by incorporating beats from the Punjabi-folk song Saiful Malook. “We have kept the Sufi touch to the music which I think represents Pakistan well,” adds Bagga.

In light of his success, Bagga remains optimistic about how his talent could be used in B-town. “It’s an honour to start out in a blockbuster film in comparison to a low quality one. This does not usually happen,” Bagga tells The Express Tribune at his Lahore-based SAB studio. He explains that he earned the opportunity after his success in collaborating with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, as well as the award he received at this year’s London South Asian Film Festival in which he won the best musical talent award for “Koi Dil Mai” from Tamanna.

No visas for these voices

The Cocktail team had planned an unplugged event in India where one would get to see the solidarity of Indian and Pakistani musicians. Unfortunately, the Pakistani singers could not obtain visas for India, and the music launch idea had to be scrapped. Talking about this controversy, Bagga says that creating music in India has become somewhat of an issue for Pakistani artists due to a local license that is a prerequisite. He says that singers like Atif Aslam, Shafqat Amanat Ali and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan have been recording outside of India due to legal requirements for artists recording within India.

But Bagga continues to be optimistic about the collaboration. “In music, there is no war,” he says, adding that Pakistani singers are versatile and hence, producers in India have more options when fusing with them.

Lohar feels that visa restriction has nothing to do with music and was “not a big deal”. “The issue was not from the Pakistan government, but every country makes their own rules.  We should be more tolerant in these times because the masses want this [collaboration],” says Lohar.

Bollywood is hard work, says Ali Zafar

KARACHI: 

After his energetic performance with actor Humaima Malik at the Lux Style Awards Tuesday night, The Express Tribune caught up with actor-singer Ali Zafar for a quick chat backstage.

He was sitting with his wife Ayesha Fazli while he watched clips from his LSA performance of “Madhubala”; he shook his head disapprovingly as he spotted some mistakes in the routine, acknowledging that the performance would have to be re-done for recording purposes after the guests had left.

The star said that his upcoming Bollywood flick, Chashme Buddoor,which was all set to be released during Eid, has now been delayed. “There are a couple of good films coming up during that time and this one is a very special one. We don’t want it to lose its special place, so its release has been re-scheduled for December this year,” he said. Directed by David Dhawan, who also directed Bollywood flickPartner, Chashme Buddoor is a remake film of a 1981 film of the same name and also stars veteran Indian actors Juhi Chawla and Anupam Kher.

Bollywood is not easy, he said.“Does anything come easy in this world?” he asked. “It’s (Bollywood is) a lot of hard work.”

Zafar’s journey has indeed been long. From his days of painting portraits as an artist at the Pearl Continental hotel in Lahore, he has undergone a complete metamorphosis. “It’s all been very rewarding. I worked hard, gave a lot of time to music and I am grateful that people really appreciated my work.,” Zafar said with pride. “Although more of my work is now concerned with Bollywood, I never let go of a chance to perform here in Pakistan!”

“I do stuff here, like the LSA performances, because my true identity comes from Pakistan.”

When we asked the actor what his plans in the near future are, he surprised us by saying “In three to five years, it’s definitely going to be Hollywood.” We wish him the best of luck!

Lamha to premier at NYC Fest 2012

KARACHI:On July 3, Bodhicitta Works, in association with Ice Animations, announced that the world premier of Pakistani feature film Lamha will take place at the annual New York City International Film Festival (NYCIF), being held in Manhattan’s Time Square from August 9 to August 16. The Pakistani feature film, produced by Meher Jaffri and Summer Nicks, has been officially selected to screen in a competition taking place at the festival.

This year, the NYCIF committee received 2,500 film entries from across the globe, out of which 178 will be screened; only 20 of those films will take part in the competition. “The entire team is extremely thankful and excited about their chances,” said Jaffri.

Lamha (publicised as Seedlings in English internationally) is a Pakistani feature film starring Aamina Sheikh, Mohib Mirza and Gohar Rasheed. The film, which completed production in Karachi in June 2012, has been directed by newcomer Mansoor Mujahid and revolves around the lives of three individuals bound together by a devastating accident. An intricately woven story of loss, forgiveness and redemption, Lamha explores the terrifying prospects of piecing together a broken life.

“As French poet Lamartine wrote ‘There is one missing and the whole world is empty’: the movie is about how to overcome this emptiness,” said Festival Director of NYCIFF Roberto Rizzo about Lamha.

The music of the film, composed by musical prodigy Usman Riaz is said to be a work of art in itself. The 21-year old, fresh off the 2012 TEDGlobal Conference, composed the musical score of the film, featuring vocals by Zoe Viccaji. The rest of the film comprises of classic songs by the renowned Mehdi Hasan in tribute to the late ghazal singer. The young musicians working on this film, Usman Riaz and Zoe Viccaji, have both been nominated in the musical categories of the Lux Style Awards this year.

Lamha, which will have its world premiere at the NYCIF, is intended to release theatrically in Pakistan later this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2012

Veena Malik halts traffic in Bangalore city

Pakistani actor Veena Malik recently caused a traffic jam in Bangalore when she stepped out to shoot her debut Kannada film, Dirty Picture: Silk Sakkath Maga on Friday. When the beauty appeared on the sets, the gathering crowd caused a traffic jam, affecting several of the neighbouring business districts.

Although Malik’s presence was kept secret by film-makers, the masses caught a glimpse of her when she first arrived. Around 20,000 screaming fans started congregating around the area, making it impossible for security personnel to manage the crowd or control the traffic. When the solution got completely out of control, the film’s producer called in the police to handle the fans.

Despite the hoards of people surrounding her, Malik seemed to be in high spirits, enjoying all the attention coming her way. The actor, who first became famous from a stint on the Indian version of “Big Boss”, made her way around the crowd gracefully, waving to all her fans and signing autographs.

“This response is unbelievable. I am sure the movie will be a hit,” she later commented.

The film, which also stars Akshay and Anitha Bhat, is a regional remake of Milan Luthria’s blockbuster Dirty Picture released in 2011. Shooting for Dirty Picture: Silk Sakkath Maga officially began in studios last week.

This was the second time Malik has been mobbed by her fans. Before this, the actor attracted a large crowd on Fiji Beach, Australia, proving that she has a great fan following all over the world.

Her crazy fans

“I think I have been appreciated a lot. A Pakistani guy wanted to kidnap and marry me – but he was a kid back then,” Veena told The Express Tribune.  “Another Pakistani fan used to send me flowers every day. There’s a  guy on Twitter who calls himself Mr Veena Malik; I consider him a psycho, for he has hacked my Twitter and email account,” she said.

Additional reporting saadia qamar

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2012.

Veena Malik beat Anjelina Jolie and Megan Fox on World Sexiest Women List

Lollywood / Bollywood starlet Veena Malik leaves behind Hollywood hotties in world sexiest women list. She broke all the past record and makes her mark in the list. She beat Hollywood Babes like Kim Kardasian, Britney Spears, Anjelina Jolie, Camaron Diaz, Megan Fox , Paris Hilton as well as her bollywood contemporizes like Poonam Pandey , Sonam Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty in a magazine poll.

Veena Malik said, “I am really excited with the news since it means people are not voting for me only based on my physical looks. They are looking at me in entirety”.

Bollywood Bombshell Veena Malik fans from across the globe have voted to make her the sexiest woman in the world. She has been crowned the sexiest woman in the world by a leading men’s fashion magazine.