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

After Aashiqui 2 and the forthcoming Ek Villain and Creature, Mithoon Sharma seems to be the Bhatt camp’s favourite composer. But he insists that’s because the producers have a good ear for music
Deepali Dhingra (MID-DAY; May 18, 2014)

Last year, there seemed to be only one song on everyone’s lips — Tum Hi Ho from Aashiqui 2. And there’s one man who can’t stop grinning from ear to ear when you mention the song. Mithoon Sharma, the song’s composer, admits that he never expected the song to get such a raving response. Mithoon, who has also sung for a couple of his own compositions, says that his fans can hear him sing in one of his forthcoming movies:

Your composition, Tum Hi Ho, won numerous awards last year. When you composed the song, did you think it would turn out to be the song of the year? 
No, I never thought that it would turn out to be this huge, or an ‘anthem’ as my fans and well-wishers are calling it. In fact, not only this song but while composing any other song, I don’t think about how big it will become or how many awards it will win. I just put in my best and leave the rest to the Almighty.

Some of your best compositions have been with the Bhatt camp. You’re also working on Ek Villain and Creature with them and are seen as a Bhatt camp favourite.
I don’t believe in camps, though it is true that most of my films have been with the Bhatts. I think they have a wonderful ear for music and I’m also grateful for the fact that they have encouraged me and given me my space to come up with what I do.

You’re known for your soulful and melodious compositions. Are you apprehensive of getting slotted in that bracket? Given a choice, would you like to experiment more with your songs?
I think it is a high for me to be known as someone who can compose songs in a particular genre and people identify with it. These days the audience isn’t able to differentiate between songs of different composers and amid all of that, if they are still able to identify a Mithoon song, then I think I have succeeded in my attempt to be different. Even in the past I have composed songs of various genres and in the near future you will see shades of that in films such as Traffic and Veda.

Arijita Bhowmik (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES; January 31, 2014)

The Golden Kela Awards 2014 has shockingly named Aamir Khan and Deepika Padukone for the worst movie honours.

Despite the multi crore grossing “Dhoom 3,” Aamir has been nominated in two categories of the Golden Kela Awards, set in the lines of Hollywood's Razzies. The superstar’s film has been nominated in the “Worst Film” category and another one called the “Bawaraa Ho Gaya Ke (Have You Gone Mad?), for featuring in the YRF action flick, hugely criticized for its mindless plotline.

Another name to have been added to the list of shame is Deepika Padukone. Despite a bevy of praises for her performance in “Chennai Express”, the actress has been nominated in the same category as well as in the worst supporting actress category for “Race 2”. The actress’ film “Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela” has been nominated for Worst Actor (Ranveer Singh) as well as the Worst Director (Sanjay Leela Bhansali.)

Sajid Khan’s “Himmatwala” has been enlisted for the Worst Director, Worst Film and Worst Actor (Ajay Devgn) categories. Vishal Bhardwaj and Tigmanshu Dhulia have also been named in the “Have You Gone Mad” category for their uneventful commercial duds “Matru Ke Bijlee ka Mandola” and “Bullet Raja” respectively.

Interestingly, the entire cast of “ABCD” has been nominated in the worst supporting actor category. Meanwhile Preity Zinta, Vivek Oberoi and Sunny Deol’s releases have fetched them nominations in the funnily titled “Why Are You Still Trying?” section.

The winners of the shameful honours will be decided based on the public voting on the Golden Kela Awards Website.

Check out the full list of the nominations below:

Worst Actor Nominees
Ajay Devgn (Himmatwala)
Aditya Roy Kapur (Aashiqui 2)
Ram Charan (Zanjeer)
Ranveer Singh (Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela)
Imran Khan (Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara)
Arjun Kapoor (Aurangzeb).

Worst Actress Nominees:
Shraddha Kapoor (Aashiqui 2)
Sonam Kapoor (Raanjhanaa)
Priyanka Chopra (Zanjeer)
Sonakshi Sinha (R…Rajkumar)
Deepika Padukone (Chennai Express)
Pallavi Sharda (Besharam).

Worst Supporting Actor Nominees:
Aditya Roy Kapur (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani)
Sachiin Joshi (For whatever he does)
Imran Khan (Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola)
Sanjay Dutt (Zanjeer)
Whole Male cast of ABCD.

Worst Supporting Actress Nominees:
Deepika Padukone, Jacqueline Fernandez and Ameesha Patel (Race 2)
Kangana Ranaut (Krrish 3)
Anushka Sharma (Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola)
Vaani Kapoor (Shuddh Desi Romance)
Entire Female Cast of ABCD.

Worst Director Nominees:
Sajid Khan (Himmatwala)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela)
Rohit Shetty (Chennai Express)
Prabhu Dheva (R…Rajkumar)
Rakesh Roshan (Krissh 3)
Apoorva Lakhia (Zanjeer)
Aanand L Rai (Raanjhanaa).

Worst Film Nominees:
Himmatwala
Aashiqui 2
Chennai Express
Ranjhanaa
Besharam
Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela
Krrish 3
Dhoom 3.

Bawraa Ho Gaya Hai Ke (Have You Gone Mad) Nominees:
Vishal Bharadwaj (Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola)
Abhinav Kashyap and Ranbir Kapoor (Besharam )
Tigmanshu Dhulia (Bullett Raja)
Aditi Rao Hydari (Murder 3 and Boss)
Ali Zafar (Chashme Baddoor)
Sudhir Mishra (Inkaar)
Aamir Khan (Dhoom 3).

Irritating Song Nominees:
Lungi Dance (Chennai Express)
Party All Night (Boss)
Tum Hi Ho ( Aashiqui 2)
Raghupati Raghav (Krrish 3)
Latt Lag Gayi (Race 2)
Gandi Baat (R…Rajkumar).

Atrocious Lyrics Nominees
Raghupati Raghav (Krrish 3)
One Two Three Four (Chennai Express)
Saree Ke Fall Sa (R…Rajkumar), Ishqyaun Dhishqyaun (Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela)
Tamanche Pe Disco (Bullett Raja)
Babli Badmaash (Shootout at Wadala)
Chingum Chabaake (Gori Tere Pyaar Mein)
Grand Masti
Boss.

Worst Sequel/Remake Nominees:
Zanjeer
Himmatwala
Chashme Baddoor
Race 2
Aaashiqui 2
Murder 3
Dhoom 3
Shootout at Wadala
Yamla Pagla Deewana 2
Krrish 3
Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara
Grand Masti.

Why Are You Still Trying Nominees:
Preity Zinta (Ishkq in Paris)
Sunny Deol (Singh Saab the Great)
Vivek Oberoi (Jayantabhai Ki Luv story)
Neil Nitin Mukesh (3G and Shortcut Romeo)
 Prateik Babbar (Issaq)
Shahid Kapoor (R…Rajkumar)
Jackky Bhagnani (Rangrezz).

Worst Debut Nominees:
Girish Kumar
Sasheh Aagha
Poonam Pandey
Ram Charan
Veena Malik
Leander Paes.