Nikita Deb (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 19, 2020)

Music composer Mithoon, who is known for his melodious and soulful songs, such as Maula Mere (Anwar; 2007) and Phir Bhi Tumko Chahunga (Half Girlfriend; 2017), has been working in Bollywood films for over a decade, and has composed music for almost 35 films over a span of 15 years. But this lockdown period came as quite a challenge for the composer.

“The way I work, I make a lot of basic sounds and then the entire work of the final album happens during the post-production of a film. So, when the director and producer of Khuda Haafiz approached me in May end asking to release a complete album on OTT, I was hesitant,” he says.

Mithoon adds, “I had taken up this project last year, but the second half of last year and the first half of this year went in shooting of the film, so the music had really not been worked upon. I had these basic songs, but they still had to be recorded properly and no studio was available and it wasn’t practically possible for me to bring an entire soundtrack out. So, I was almost ready to tell them that I won’t be able to deliver. But then, I thought about it and I spoke to my team, and we thought that this is probably the best message we can give out as human beings that things will get better. So, we connected with people and found softwares that helped us work from our respective homes. This madness happened, and God is great that we were able to produce an album that was made entirely during the Coronavirus lockdown.”

The composer agrees that while digital may not be the ideal way to work, for now, it is the only way to do things. “We do not have any clarity on what the social norms are going to be in the coming days. But I am not a completely digital man, I believe in human interaction and that’s one of the reasons why I don’t have a bank of songs. But under the present circumstances, until people have a cure in place for the virus, and permissions from authorities are given, we will definitely be working like this,” explains the Chal Ghar Chalen (Malang) composer.

Adding that digital concerts don’t do justice to the experience of listeners, Mithoon says that nothing can match the feeling of standing in front of a stage and watching your favourite artiste perform live. “It definitely takes away from the experience, but mankind has always fought and survived the greatest calamities and adversities and that is because of our ability to find solutions. So, we should not be narrow-minded. As a musician, I am also encouraging a lot of my colleagues to do digital concerts, and I think it’s pretty cool if people can sit back and listen to an artiste at home, let’s just see the positive side of things for now,” he concludes.

Mithoon's offerings may be few and far between, but his die-hard fans don't mind waiting. He tells lyricist Manoj Muntashir why
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; March 30, 2020)

Manoj Muntashir complains that he often finds his social media inbox littered with pleas from Mithoon's female fans, seeking an interaction with him. He is set to prepare an invoice for the job to present to the composer, who does every bit to evade questions pertaining to his romantic interests, despite Muntashir's repeated attempts. Here's all that the duo discussed in an interaction at Muntashir's vibrant Andheri office in early March, before they departed with the promise of creating a music piece for the "emotional" ending of Tom Hanks' Cast Away.

Manoj: How did you save yourself from being entangled in this wave of re-creations?
Mithoon: I am always tempted to create original songs. Six years ago, I had recreated a song called Aye mere hum safar, which did well. But, I missed the happiness that one derives [while working on original compositions]. Even in the credits roll, [original composers] Anand-Milind's name was placed before mine. So, it wasn't guilt [that bothered me]. But, there was no joy. Many people say composers are not celebrated enough. But they don't understand the joy we derive when a newspaper seller sings our song at a signal.

Manoj: There are few composers whose names are used by directors as a selling point. They are proud to say: 'Mithoon is composing for us.' But, people also complain that you take too long to finish a song. Do you feel insecure about not meeting deadlines?
Mithoon: Like they say, ignorance is bliss. I don't know much about [how a delay in meeting a deadline can affect me]. And I prefer that it remain that way. I want to be consumed by music. In the Bible, it is written that the lord made the world in six days. On day one, he said, 'Let there be light.' And yet, he made the sun and moon on day four. So, I interpret this as the lord referring to the light within us, that is brighter than sunlight.

Mithoon: What went behind the making of Teri mitti [Kesari], which, according to me, is the best written song?
Manoj: At times, all we need is a trigger. Sometimes, our directors and the people around us turn out to be blessings. They elevate us from being ordinary writers. Kesari's director Anurag Singh was responsible for it. The tune was already established by Arko. Anurag referenced Kaifi Azmi's words in Kar chale hum fida, and asked me that if it had to be represented in today's scenario, how would [I do it]. I kept that brief in mind. If a soldier is shot, and knows that he will die within the next 10 minutes, what will he think in the interim? Will he be sad, upset or happy? So, the song was written from that point of view. If you see [a soldier] dying, you'll notice him smiling. Death is a painful process. But that smile comes from the joy of dying for the country. More worthy than any award for me was when I got a call from Punj, from a soldier who was a zamindar. When people would ask him why he was becoming a soldier, and choosing a job with a Rs 25,000 salary [despite being wealthy], he never had an answer. My song, he said, gave him the words he needed to do so.

Mithoon: [How important] is it for a musician to stay away from formulas and templates?
Manoj: There's absolutely nothing that I can say with as much certainty as I can this — setting a template implies death of music. We should be thankful that we don't have a formula. Every song has a journey, and if you begin to search for the roadmap that led to its making, [that isn't right]. None of the people who have made it big, have a roadmap. If you do, you'll be a one-film wonder. A good way to [approach your work] is to leave ego behind. Don't carry the weight of your laurels. Be the student you were when you started, each time you work on music.
Manoj: You received much acclaim for your song in Kabir Singh, which is Tujhe kitna chahne lage. There's something I noticed about it. If you study Kabir's character, who is aggressive and angry, it is tough to fathom how this spiritual song, which is all about surrendering, suits him. But that song helped the film tremendously. Many people have complaints against the character, and rightfully so. But what made Kabir relatable was his simplicity and vulnerability. And it is your song that gave us a peek into his heart, and made us see how weak in love he is. I don't think there's anyone who is as weak as a lover, just like there is no one who is stronger than him.
Mithoon: As much as I've never seen it that way, that's true.

Manoj: You don't have a social life. In fact, the people who love you will, for your own good, never invite you to a party.
Mithoon: As a teenager, I would feel everything that a man who is in love feels, but, that excitement would be to meet Pyareji [Pyarelal Sharma, of Laxmikanth-Pyarelal]. At 16, I was assisting my father [Naresh Sharma], who worked with orchestras for films. In the studio, every musician would have a different viewpoint, and as a young musician, I would want to hear each one, so that I could learn. But there was one voice that [mattered the most], and that was of Laxmikant-Pyarelal. He [Pyarelal Sharma] is my tayaji. But, I never [exploited that] relationship. I was passionate about learning from him. He is among the most passionate artistes that this industry has seen. He wouldn't tolerate mediocrity. I wanted to experience him in that form.

Manoj: You have few releases in a year, and keep your fans waiting for them. Is it a calculated move to keep them eagerly anticipating what's next?
Mithoon: The truth is that I celebrate and respect my music first. If I play something on the piano, and like it, I respect that bar [of music]. I won't simply tell my team to [work on] it and send it off to a client who is calling repeatedly for a song. My laptop is kept in my locker, because that's my wealth. I value it so much. For me, my music is a revelation. It must be kept on a pedestal. It is valued, because I value it first.

Sukhwinder Singh says Ranbir Kapoor's Shamshera came his way when he expressed his desire to work with able composer Mithoon
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; November 11, 2019)

Knowing too well that youngsters call the shots at the top echelons of Bollywood these days, veteran singer Sukhwinder Singh has devised a distinct method to ensure he features in every big album. "They may think I am too senior to [consider] working for them. So, I approach them myself, and let them know of my interest in a collaboration," says the singer from Abu Dhabi, where he had jetted off a day prior to regale eager fans. Decades into the industry, and with several award-winning tracks on his resume, Singh says he continues to remain uninhibited when approaching musicians for collaborations.

His desire to constantly seek out "passionate" individuals took him to Mithoon (Mithun Sharma), who is dictating the beats of Ranbir Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt's upcoming action adventure, Shamshera. "I wanted to work with Mithoon, and approached him during the [music launch] of Shivaay. When he called me [for Shamshera], I was impressed with his plan for the film's soundtrack. Mithoon's Aashiqui 2, had a soft musical palette. This film's soundtrack has a powerful energy; Mithoon has done justice to [the storyline]. Musically, he is the hero of the film," says the singer, placing the composer alongside A R Rahman when discussing his skills. "In Chennai, I would watch how Rahman [worked]. Rahman has such versatility that he can compose any kind of music. That's what I've noticed in Mithoon as well. That's not the case with many musicians, who have one style of composition."

Connecting with the next generation of "special and talented musicians" is Singh's way of "upgrading myself". "I listen to music that's current, and accept change. People say that the melodies that date back 20 years were good. I tell them that 20 years ago, the then-reigning artistes said the same thing," says Singh, who, unlike his contemporaries, is also not critical of music reality shows and the trend of remixes.

If driven by passion, he believes every project can be noteworthy. "If given the chance to render a remix, I can create one that will enjoy the same status that Jai ho did. I would love to sing a rehashed version of a song originally rendered by Kishore Kumar. Our style of singing is different, but I think I would be the best choice for it."

Composer Mithoon reacts to the recent plagiarism of his track Tum Hi Ho in an American rap song
Debarati Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; December 22, 2018)

American rapper T-Pain’s latest track, That’s Yo Money used Mithoon’s original composition Tum Hi Ho from the 2013 hit Aashiqui 2. The track was blocked online, soon enough, on grounds of copyright issues. Not just that, the American composer got severe criticism on social media, when he denied the allegations in an alleged racist slur. In a candid chat with BT the composer of the hit song talks about plagiarism and more. Excerpts…

Thousands of songs release online every day and it can get tough keeping a track on plagiarism. When and how did you find out that your hook tune from Tum Hi Ho (Aashiqui 2, 2013) was used, uncredited, by T-Pain in his song?
A couple of days back, I woke up to my friend and director Mohit Suri’s call in the morning. A friend of his brought it to his attention and he did the same for me. When I heard T-Pain’s track, I clearly heard my melody and that’s when I reacted to it. The song is not just about me — I believe that good work does not belong to just one man. Many people are emotionally attached to the song; people who have actually cried after hearing it. I’m happy that even five years after I created the tune, it is still popular around the world. I definitely see this as a positive. I just want people to be more responsible and why not; tomorrow, there could be something that I want to use in my composition and I should do it the right way. I think collaborations should be encouraged, so that we can create a one-world vision.

You tweeted to T-Pain, but the rapper’s response was pretty non-committal…
I’m not in a position to comment on his response. T-Pain said in his tweet that he has never heard the melody before and my intention was to bring it to his notice that the melody he had used was created by another artiste and the song is already quite popular. This was from one artiste to another. I thought I must put forward the voice of billions of people who have listened to the track. I think respect and credit should be given where it is due.

Have you taken any action on the matter? Are you aware about the laws and rules to prevent plagiarism?
I am well versed with the law, but as an artiste, I am supposed to communicate what is my thought and opinion. I did speak to the label about this and they, as per law, immediately pulled the video down. The future course of action will be decided by the music label and not by me. I am sure that whatever will happen, will be in accordance to the law.

What are your thoughts about artistes borrowing inspiration to create their own work?
Actually, I believe the word ‘inspired’ has a relative connotation, though it is a beautiful word. To be truly inspired is to take art to the next level. Inspiration is something that you breathe in and then bring it out in a brand new way. It is like giving birth to a child. Over the years, I have been inspired by many artistes and there have been many who have openly said that they feel inspired when they hear my compositions. I feel proud and bless them. When I hear the work of other artistes, I acknowledge that they have been inspired by my work, but then I see their own point of view, too.

Are you aware of the term ‘sampling’, that’s what T-Pain claimed was responsible for it?
A lot of people have written to me about the process of sampling. It is about how different artistes work with samples — without knowing the source of the music, they take it. I don’t think that is a great creative process. There should be some kind of accountability, some responsibility to the source of the music, too.

Do you feel that in the digital world, the sheer volume of numbers can mask plagiarism and make it hard to spot imitations?
I think every artiste needs to learn about self-accountability and be responsible, because it’s not humanly possible to notice every case. The reason why I chose to be a musician was to create music that would first nourish me, satisfy me and then the world.

Technology has also brought the world a lot closer now. What do you have to say about modern creative collaborations?
I think there is a lot of change now with the internet becoming such a strong mode of communication. Twenty years back, what would happen on another continent would seldom make it to the rest of the world. Today, there is a lot more transparency and creative communication happening globally. There are so many songs from the West that strike a chord with Indian listeners and vice versa. The world has become a small place and it’s a good thing — it’s just that every artiste should be responsible. India has a lot of potential of songwriters, poets and vocalists, and the future looks bright. Talent needs to be nurtured and original music needs to be encouraged.

It’s been five years since Tum Hi Ho, what are you looking forward to now?
I have moved on from Tum Hi Ho, because I feel my best is yet to come. I am looking at my first English film featuring Steven Baldwin, where I have composed all songs. It’s my first movie with a big Bollywood banner and I am doing the entire album. My next Hindi film with Mohit Suri is also on the way. 

Mithoon, Mohit Suri want due credit for their hit song that American rapper T-Pain has allegedly plagiarised
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 17, 2018)

Not long after American rapper T-Pain released his new song, “That’s Yo Money”, on Friday, social media users pointed out that it bore an uncanny resemblance to Mithoon’s composition “Tum Hi Ho”. The Hindi chartbuster was a part of Mohit Suri’s 2013 directorial Aashiqui 2 and had featured its leads, Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur.

Soon enough, Mithoon got wind of the development and tweeted to T-Pain, saying, “Sir, the melody that you have used in your new song is my original work for a previously released Hindi film. The (music) label is looking into this.” Following this, Bhushan Kumar, who heads T-Series, the label behind the Hindi song, got T-Pain’s video pulled down from the video-sharing site YouTube citing copyright infringement. “Woke up to getting dragged by brown Twitter. Sooooo yea. I definitely didn’t produce this song. Had no idea that was a sample and have never heard the music before I got the beat from the producer. Easy thing to work out. The labels will be in contact,” T-Pain shrugged off the issue.

When Mirror contacted him, an upset Mithoon said that the new song was brought to his notice by his filmmaker-friend Mohit, who called saying that their song had been used by a global artiste. “I knew that ‘Tum Hi Ho’ has influenced many artistes across the world, but I was surprised to see such a blatant lift and without credit. I checked with the music label and was told that it had been done without legal permission. It was disappointing. If someone wanted to use the song, they could have done it the right way. I’m glad to see the support we have been getting on the social media,” the composer stated.

He added that the music company would be taking legal action now. “The song is a part of the lives of many Indians who are sentimental about it. ‘Tum Hi Ho’ belongs to the country and it is important to highlight that,” he asserted.

Mohit was in New York when the plagiarism was brought to his attention by one of his friends. “Mithoon doesn’t want to capitalise on this, he only wants credit,” the filmmaker signed off

BOMBAY TIMES (November 8, 2017)