Will the real copycats please stand up?

Rishab Shetty’s Kannada film Kantara has made a big bang, with rave reviews across India. Some fans call it a visual spectacle. Others term it a “spiritual experience”. The film, which was dubbed and released in multiple regional languages including Malayalam, has been in the news for the wrong reasons as well. Some days ago, Kerala music band Thaikkudam Bridge alleged that Kantara’s cult hit song ‘Varaha Roopam’ was a rip-off of its track ‘Navarasam’.

Last Friday, following a lawsuit filed by Thaikkudam Bridge, a sessions court in Kozhikode imposed a stay on the playing of ‘Varaha Roopam’ in cinema theatres and music platforms. The tracks seem like long-lost twins in terms of the tune and the folk-rock orchestration, and musicians such as Bijibal and Harish Sivaramakrishnan have backed Thaikkudam Bridge.

However, the lawsuit has opened Pandora’s box, with one segment of critics and netizens pointing out the irony. Many of Thaikkudam Bridge’s hits, they allege, are not completely original. Cyber sleuths have dug up the band’s tracks that have allegedly ‘lifted’ lyrics and music from other musicians. The guitar riff used in Thaikkudam Bridge’s hit track ‘Fish Rock’, for instance, is a brazen copy from Australian band Wolfmother’s ‘Joker and the thief’, they allege.

Some also point to the late MN Thankappan’s popular folk song ‘Chekkele’, which has allegedly been used by bands such as Thaikkudam Bridge, without due credits. And now, the debate is split wide open.

Story of Inspirations

Artists from the music industry dub the court order as just a temporary relief. Veteran music critic Ravi Menon says Kantara’s copyright issue is just one among several. “On YouTube, many popular bands have released cover songs on the music of MS Baburaj, Raghavan Master etc. They give credit to lyricists and others. However, music directors are often ignored. So, nobody is a saint here when it comes to giving proper credit to the original creators,” he says.

Menon adds that computerisation in the music industry has resulted in the ‘cut and paste’ of musical codes. “Using bits, loops and instrumental portions from original songs is a widespread practice. There are no strict measures in our country to put a stop to it. Not many are aware of art-related copyright rules and regulations. Unless it happens to them, not many are worried about copyright infringements happening in and around the art world,” he says.

Menon says the list of credit and royalty violations is infinitely long and many still go unrecognised. An example, he says, is a popular music track on Onam. “Paraniraye Ponnalakkum Pournami Ravayi… is a song from the album Thiruvona Kaineettam composed by Vidyasagar with the lyrics of Gireesh Puthencheri. The intro of 25 seconds, is widely used in ads, television shows and even in the Onam message by the Chief Minister. However, no one gives royalty and credit to Vidyasagar.”

Similar is the case of MS Baburaj’s songs, he adds. “His songs like ‘Thane Thirinjum Marinjum, Oru Pushpam Mathram…’ etc are performed as cover and remix versions by various popular Malayalam music bands, including Thaikkudam Bridge. But to date, none of them has given a single penny as royalty or credits to him and his family members. And when such serious ignorance prevails, I feel it a bit amusing and ironic to see these young musicians fight for their song rights,” he says.

Role of Ragas...  

Several critics rubbish the Kantara team’s version that “songs are similar due to the same raga”.
“Even when ragas are similar, the tunes will be different. Here, the instrumental phrases are very similar. It is mere copying,” Menon says.

Director, lyricist and dubbing artist Jis Joy is not satisfied with the Kantara team’s explanation. “They could have asked Thaikkudam Bridge for a collaboration. The band would have been happy to associate with a culturally rich film. It is unfortunate that the controversy is plaguing the powerful song that plays in the climax,” he says.

“The same ragas can make songs similar but not the orchestration,” adds Joy. He points to Johnson Master’s composition of ‘Devanganagal’ from the movie Njan Gandharvan. “It may sound like the anupallavi of ‘Anuragini’ in the movie Ore Kudakeezhil. It’s because they are of the same ragas. Ragas such as Kalyani, Mohanam and Sindhubhairavi are commonly used and several songs seem similar in melody due to it. But never the orchestration,” adds Joy.

Harikrishnan R, former principal of Sree Swathi Thirunal College of Music, Thiruvananthapuram, says classical ragas are used in composing for films and independent music.“And different songs in the same raga may sound similar. Raga has imaginative power and gives space for improvisation. So compositions may have a resemblance, as ragas are parents and songs are children,” he says.

Young Carnatic singer Nandini NJ says contemporary artists use the compositions of eminent musicians such as Swathi Thirunal and Thyagaraja Swamigal. “Improvisation showcases our talent and forte. And it is a must for survival in Carnatic music. That said, these ragas also inspire film and independent music. We cannot say that Thaikkudam Bridge’s song, 'Navarasam,' is copied from the Carnatic raga Todi as they have rendered it differently. This is how one uses ragas, giving space for improvisation”.

Old wines in a new package

Kerala loves swaying to the tune of ‘Kaithola Paaya Virich’. Be it reality shows or concerts of Malayali independent bands and folk artists, this song is always on the playlist. Later, it was revealed that Malappuram-based folk artist Jithesh Kakkidipuram had written the song for his niece. By the time it was revealed, he was no more.

Folk musician Pranavam Sasi has been promoting folk culture for the past 30 years. He says many new-gen bands are taking folk songs and adding jarring orchestration to them.“The famous song ‘Chekkeladikkum Munpe Theyyam Tharaa…’ was penned by folk artist M N Thankappan in the 70s. It is an agricultural work song about a farmer going to the fields before the early morning breeze called Chekkele. The song became popular thanks to another folk artist CJ Kuttappan. Now many play this beautiful song with loud orchestration,” he adds.

“Don’t we have any value?” he asks. “You use our songs for fame and entertainment.”

“When using Varamozhi or written songs, it is common courtesy or moral responsibility to give credit to the one who wrote or composed it. I have enjoyed watching other young musicians and television artists performing my song ‘Va Poove’. But I always long for someone to mention somewhere that it was my creation,” says Sasi.

Sasi says it should be the norm to give credit to the community and folk artists when their music is adapted.“Mention the original folk song while releasing the film song on YouTube,” he says.

Most chartbuster Malayalam songs of the past two years have a folk base, adds another musician. 'Palappalli' from Kaduva, some hits in Ayyappanum Koshiyum and Ajagajantharam are some such songs. “Even Thallumala’s hit number, 'Ellarum Chollan Evan Kajookkulla'... is a folk song from the Malabar region. A majority of hits are based on folk. I think many are reluctant to give credits as they don’t want to pay a fee as copyright to the creators,” says Joy.

Remembering M S Baburaj

As discussions brew on copyright infringement, Shalu Raj, the 28-year-old grandson of eminent music composer MS Baburaj says it’s nothing new. The youngster has been knocking on the door of officials and music fraternities to ensure royalty on the songs of his grandfather. Shalu, son of Baburaj’s ninth daughter, is now settled in Saudi Arabia with his family. “I had sent infinite emails and met the officials concerned at the Indian Performing Right Society with the necessary documents.

But they turned down the application for royalty stating technical glitches. I applied in 2017 when Javed Akhtar was heading the IPRS and Shankar Mahadevan was the vice-chairman. It’s been years now and I have now given up,” he says. Playing a Baburaj song is akin to a ritual in Kerala. There would be at least one song by the composer in every ganamela and TV show. However, his grandson says not a single penny has been given to the eminent musician’s family to date.

“When my grandmother was alive, she used to tell me how my grandfather had worked on music passionately even though he was not paid. She once said that Babbukka has not in his entire life seen H5,000 in total,” Shalu says.“It’s not that we are greedy. We just ask for rightful recognition and credit for his songs. My grandmother is no more so at least royalty can be given to Babukka’s children who are alive. Do not look at it as money but as respect to the talent who died 45 years ago leaving behind many evergreen melodies for Malayalis”.

‘Temporary solution’

Anish TN, the drummer of Thaikkudam Bridge, says the stay on the telecast of 'Varaha Roopam' is a temporary solution. “When we came to know about the issue, we tried to contact them first. But there was no response. Had the Kantara team responded, we could have discussed getting credits for our song,” he says. According to him, 'Varaha Roopam' has a 90 per cent similarity with 'Navarasam.' “Other musicians and audiences have also confirmed it. The music patterns and score is ditto. The violin portion in our song is replaced by another instrument, the drum with guitar,” he adds.

Anish says he is yet to watch Kantara and plans to do so soon.  “We have done many cover songs and the majority of it was broadcast on Kappa TV. They own copyrights for that content. We always give credit to the particular original song and musician when we do covers. We have not said anywhere that 'Chekkele' is our song. We have performed only a live cover version, and that was uploaded on the Kappa TV channel.”