CineGoer.com - Articles - CineGoer.com Copy Cat Crown (Part 5)

Home > Articles > CineGoer.com Copy Cat Crown (Part 5)

CG.com Copy Cat Crown (Part 5) - Copy Cats Of The Yore

APK | December 08, 2006

Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Maestro late S. Rajeswara Rao

So you thought it is only this generation of music composers who succumb to lifting melodies from other music makers? Well, you've got another think coming up right away. One look at what the Crowning Squad uncovered here in this article of the Copy Cat Crown will not leave any doubt in that regard. As I always say, where is art without inspiration? But it is direct lifting, as opposed to inspired poetic moments that is highly objectionable. With due regards to these golden oldies, they have copied, and hence are in the polls for the CC Crown.

Baar Baar Dekho, Hazar Baar Dekho mouthed Shammi Kapoor in China Town (1962) to Mohammed Rafi's playback, and danced to composer Ravi's tunes. In the Telugu movie Bhale Tammudu (1985), NTR did the same (for the song Yentha Vaaru Gaani), to the same tune, but to lyrics written by CiNaRe-composer TV Raju apparently liked the song, so does that explain a direct lift?

Kishore Kumar's evergreen hit Roop Tera Mastana composed by the legendary RD Burman in the Hindi movie Aradhana (1969) found an admirer in S. Rajeswara Rao who used the same tune for the song Mutyalu Vastava (picturised on Allu Ramalingaiah and Ramaprabha) in the movie Manushulantha Okkate (1976).

This was later remixed in Hindi in a private pop album and even in a Telugu film titled Maavi Chiguru (1996) (Remember Ranju Bhale Ramchiluka?) also picturised on Allu Ramalingaiah. Exactly how many times a song can be copied and ripped has been demonstrated in the above procedure.

In the super hit classic Telugu movie Aradhana (1976), starring NTR and Vanisree, composer Saluri Rajeswara Rao based his Na Madi Ninnu Pilichindi Gaanamai on the Hindi song Aaj Tujhko Pukare Mere Pyar from the movie Geet (1954). Then there is the lullaby Chand So Gaya in the movie Raahi (1953) whi, but starring ANR and Savithri.

SVR as Ghatothkacha in Maya Bazar

Remember the golden oldie Jiya Bekaraar Hai in the 1949 classic Barsaat? This evergreen hit was lifted and even translated for the movie Samsaram (1950)-Kala Nijamayega Korike Teerega is the song.

Now for the grand finale. Ask any old generation Cinegoer about their favorite wedding/fun songs, and among the top in that list will feature Vivaha Bhojanambu from the movie Mayabazar (1957). How many times did we not grin while SV Rangarao playing the mythical character Ghatodgaja devouring the wedding lunch meant for thousands all alone? Well, even this song, the favorite of many Telugu Cinegoers from more than half a century, has been 'inspired' from an English song. Yes, the song is a music hall song called The Laughing Policeman by Charles Penrose in 1922. This song has sold over a million copies world-over and has been a frequently requested song on BBC Radio 1 in the show 'Junior Choice'.

So being inspired is not new for composers in Telugu Land (or others, for that matter). One can see it's dated back to the beginning where even the lyrics sounded similar. It has been known that elders passed their legacies to the future generations. One can observe the legacy that has been passed to the present day composers.