Pakistani qawwali singer may sue producers of Bajrangi Bhaijaan

Amjad Sabri, a prominent qawwali singer from Pakistan, has planned to sue the producers of ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ for using a qawwali, to which he claims to own the copyright, without permission.

Amjad Sabri, a prominent qawwali singer from Pakistan, has planned to sue the producers of Bajrangi Bhaijaan for using a qawwali, to which he claims to own the copyright, without permission.

Adnan-Sami-in-a-still-from-Bhardo-Jholi-song-in-Bajrangi-Bhaijaan

On the other hand, the country’s largest record label, EMI Pakistan, says it owns the song’s copyright.

"Revamping the qawwali without my permission or consent is simply unethical and inappropriate," Amjad Sabri told Urdu newspaper, Daily Express. "It is the property of my family and will continue to be so for the coming seven generations. This is an asset of my father Ghulam Farid Sabri and my uncle Maqbool Sabri."

The original qawwali was written by Purnam Allahabadi, composed by Maqbool Sabri, and performed by the Sabri Brothers in 1975.

Sabri also feels Bollywood has not done justice to the reworked version, composed by Pritam Chakraborty and performed by Adnan Sami. "They have not done justice to the heritage of our elders. I have hired a lawyer to sort out this matter," he said.

Chaudhry also said the company had legal documents to prove that Sabri wasn’t the owner. "We have the rights to the complete recording of the original qawwali and its derivatives, and neither Adnan Sami nor the producer of the music or anyone else has acquired rights from us," he said.



Read: Watch slim Adnan and tense Salman in new song from Bajrangi Bhaijaan