Even the great English tune Anniversary Waltz is echoed in Mera Naam Joker. Down the ages, songs like Hari Om Hari, a piece based on One Way Ticket, Tama Tama, Macarena, and even Come September are examples. Even A.R.Rehman's Mujhe Rang De is a composition very similar to a western symphony.

Though it may be considered acceptable to be inspired by great compositions, an ethical line must be drawn somewhere. Being 'inspired', in musical idiom, must be differentiated from 'adopting' an entire song lock, stock and barrel. Lifting a base line, a drum groove, or a particular arrangement is fine but copying entire verses and having them sung in Hindi is a cardinal sin. And of course composers in India have an easy time of it, because their activities are facilitated by the lack of copyright law enforcement in India. In the West, on the other hand, each piece of the song is copyrighted—the composed tune, the lyrics, the arrangements and finally the whole song. Thus making it impossible for anyone to help themselves to any part of a composition they deem fit.

Unfortunately for us, even though the copyright enforcement agencies in India, are totally aware of all the pertinent laws in this matter, they remain powerless for two reasons. One, because the various market players in the business are strong opponents with powerful lobbies, and two, because our judicial process is so lengthy and long-winded that aggrieved parties often feel that it would take a lifetime to get justice.

It seems such a deplorable shame that a country that produced legendary makers of music like Naushad Sahib, S.D.Burman, and Shankar Jaikishan has today run out of people with ideas. In fact it is not at all uncommon for film producers to twist the arms of their music directors to lift tunes straight from western albums. And making this trend a habit is a heinous sin.

Unfortunately, instead of a shift in practice, the Indian pop industry seems to be going through the same motions as well. While using folk-based tunes may be acceptable, making copies of copies is like trying to get two wrongs to make a right. It just doesn't work-all that happens is that every melody sounds exactly like the one that came before, at the end of the day. And one hears that criticism from everyone from lay listeners to professionals today. The music scene is just flooded with clones, each trying to replicate a successful formula that went down well with the masses. Tutak Tutak, Bolo Tara Ra, Ho Jayegi Balle Balle, Ali More Angana, Deewane To Deewane Hai were all originals that created history and are considered important landmarks in the history of the Indipop movement. They were originals. And their runaway success is testimony to that. I really feel that one should create to inspire rather than be inspired to create.