The actor-filmmaker refutes copyright infringement claims over a dance number featuring him, Prabhudheva, Esha Gupta in his production
Bapu Deedwania (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 1, 2016)

Even as Sonu Sood and leading man, Prabhu Dheva, gear up to bring people on the dance floor with the song “Rail Gaddi” from their upcoming film, Tutak Tutak Tutiya (T3), they seem to have courted legal trouble.

Raye Singh Ahluwalia of Bapu Arts International, an Andheri-based production house that makes Punjabi films, has sent Sonu’s Shakti Sagar Productions a legal notice through their lawyers Gautam Tiwari and Prateik Praija of Probus Legal accusing them of copyright infringement under Section 14 of the Indian Copyright Act, 1957. They claim Sonu has copied the song — featuring Esha Gupta and him dancing with Prabhudheva — from “Saddi Rail Gaddi Aayi” which was a part of his production house’s 1990 film, Dushmani Dee Aag.

On September 25, Raye claims he was in for a rude shock as he tuned into The Kapil Sharma Show. The episode featured Tutak Tutak Tutiya’s leading lady Tamannaah Bhatia, Sonu and Prabhudheva and towards the end of the show, singer Navraj Hans performing on “Rail Gaddi”. “I was stunned. It was an unmistakable copy of the original. My brother and I had plans to remix it as a tribute to our grandfather (who’d founded their production house). We had already recorded some scratches,” Raye told Mirror, adding, “In the notice, we have asked them to stop using the song in any manner. It’s not about the money so there is no compensatory demand.”

Sonu told Mirror, “The original lyricist is Dr Bal Sidhu. He is a London-based singerwriter and had the rights to the original song. We have signed a contract with him. He has also been credited in the music video as the original creator.”

The film’s music launch had been an extravagant event with Kangana Ranaut shaking a leg to the title track. The actor-producer argues that “Rail Gaddi” is an original song, and not a remix. “Our song is a peppy dance number. It is a new version with new lyrics and new music. It cannot be branded as copied,” Sonu concluded.