Singer Farhan Saeed claimed Bollywood composer Salim Merchant plagiarised his song Roiyaan.
Taking to Twitter, Saeed called out Merchant for copying his 2014 track. He also advised Bollywood take take permission if they really want to copy something.
“Someone just sent me Salim Merchant’s song Haareya, which is a total copy of my song Roiyaan,” he wrote. “I wonder how they have the audacity to call themselves artists when they steal someone’s work.”
Someone just sent me @salim_merchant song HAREYA, which is a total copy of my song ROIYAAN. I wonder they have the audacity to call themselves artists when they steal someone's work. Karna hi hai to pooch ke kuro aur ager poochna nahin hai to at least acha to kuro!#stopstealing
— Farhan Saeed (@farhan_saeed) September 14, 2019
The singer added, “Karna hi hai to pooch ke kuro aur ager poochna nahin hai to at least acha to kuro! (If you do wish to copy, at least take permission and if you don’t feel like taking permission, try and do better!)”
Merchant responded to his claims and clarified “Farhan I just heard your song. It’s a mere coincidence that the chorus of Haareya is like your song. To be honest I’ve never heard it before. It happens many a time when notes have a natural progression from each other. Suleman and I have a track record of never plagiarising.”
Farhan I just heard your song. It’s a mere coincidence that the chorus of Haareya is like your song. To be honest I’ve never heard it before. It happens many a times when notes have a natural progression from each other. @Sulaiman & I have a track record of never plagiarising.
— salim merchant (@salim_merchant) September 14, 2019
The 35-year-old singer replied back and said “If you say so! Another coincidence is we have the same lyricist! Anyway good luck!”
@salim_merchant if you say so! Another co incidence is we have the same lyricist! Anyway good luck !
— Farhan Saeed (@farhan_saeed) September 14, 2019
It doesn’t end here. The Indian singer has advised Saeed to check with the songwriter. He said he would have made changes to the composition of Haareya if he heard the Pakistani song earlier.
Why don’t you check with him!
If i had to copy, I would have done that way long back in my career. I really wish I had heard your song before I made mine. Would have surely made changes to our composition to make it sound different from yours. Anyway, Hope you understand..— salim merchant (@salim_merchant) September 14, 2019
Listen to both songs and let us know what you think.
Farhan Saeed’s Roiyaan (2014)
Salim Merchant’s Haareya (2019)