Maddock Films recently released Mashooqa, a fun and romantic song from the upcoming movie Cocktail 2. The track features Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon and highlights their chemistry as they travel together and slowly fall in love. Soon after its release, the song started trending online, with many fans praising the visuals, music, and the pairing of the lead actors.
However, the song has now landed in controversy after several internet users claimed that its tune sounds very similar to a 1993 Italian song called Se So Arrubate A Nonna. A Reddit user shared clips comparing both songs and pointed out similarities in the music. After that, many social media users joined the discussion and accused the makers of copying the original tune.
Some users made fun of the situation online. One person commented that the song still sounded dull even after being copied. Another joked that finding similarities was as obvious as finding a fork in the kitchen. Many users also directly questioned whether Bollywood was once again copying international music.
MASHOOQA BY PRITAM COPIED FROM SE SO ARRUBATA (1993)
by u/Main-hoon-don in BollyBlindsNGossip
At the same time, several fans and music lovers defended composer Pritam. They explained that the song could be an example of sampling rather than direct copying. Sampling is a common practice in the music industry where artists use parts of an old tune and recreate it with new lyrics, instruments, and arrangements. One user pointed out that international artists like Pitbull, Taylor Swift, and Kanye West have also used sampling in their songs.
The original Italian track Se So Arrubate A Nonna was released in 1993 by the duo Bibi and Coco. The comedy song became popular among a niche audience and still has a cult following today. Although it was never a worldwide hit, listeners online quickly noticed similarities between the old track and Mashooqa.
This is not the first time Pritam has faced plagiarism accusations. Over the years, social media users have often compared some of his songs with international tracks. In the past, even the song Bulleya from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil faced similar allegations. Pritam had earlier admitted in interviews that he made mistakes in the past and has tried to be more careful since then.
Despite the controversy, fans are continuing to shower love on Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon’s chemistry in Cocktail 2. Directed by Homi Adajania, the romantic comedy also stars Rashmika Mandanna. The film is a spiritual sequel to Cocktail and is set to release in theatres on June 19.