Pritam
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Pritam Chakraborty (Bengali: প্রীতম চক্রবর্তী), generally known simply as Pritam (Bengali: প্রীতম) (IPA: [priːt̪om] ITRANS:prItam), is a Bollywood music director and composer.
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[edit] Biography
Born to a Bengali family in Kolkata, Pritam is the son of Prabodh Chakraborty, who runs a music school for children. Pritam gained his early training in music from his father, and learned to play the guitar while still in school.
[edit] Education
After completing his schooling from St. James' School and college ducation from Presidency College, Pritam joined Bangla rock band, Chandrabindu. He left the band in 1997 to undertake a course in sound engineering at the Film and Television Institute in Pune. During this time, he was offered a chance to compose background music for a film by Hungarian filmmaker Isteran Gaal. He also learnt African music from musicologist Kedar Avati.
[edit] Career as Composer
[edit] With Jeet
Having completed his education, Pritam moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in Bollywood. During his stay in Mumbai, he began composing ad jingles, and became friendly with a number of other young men struggling to make it big, like Shantanu Moitra, Rajkumar Hirani, Sanjay Gadhvi and Chandrajeet Ganguly, also known as Jeet, who played the guitar with Anup Jalota.
Pritam got his first break when Gadhvi was signed on to direct Tere Liye and he, in turn, signed on his friends Jeet and Pritam as music composers. Though the music was well received, the film sank at the box office. However, in 2002 Yashraj signed Gadhvi up to direct Mere Yaar ki Shaadi Hai, for which the Jeet-Pritam duo once again composed the music. All the songs from that movie were chartbusters, and the duo had hit the big time.
[edit] Solo Career
Jeet and Pritam worked together for only one more film which was Mudda-The Issue, before amicably parting. After the separation, Pritam's career as a solo musician stalled as he signed a series of flops like Fun2shh - Dudes In The 10th Century and Agnipankh. The films sank at the box office and with them, Pritam’s music too. However, in 2004, Pritam composed the music for Sanjay Gadhvi's second film, Dhoom, which was a runaway success. The film did well and the music topped the charts. The song Dhoom Machale, sung in Hindi by Sunidhi Chauhan and in English by Tata Young, was a huge hit, and won him the MTV Award for Best Composer.
Pritam followed up the success of Dhoom with a string of chartbusting numbers after a year for Chocolate, Garam Masala and Gangster. Most recently he composed the music for Dhoom 2, the sequel to Dhoom.
[edit] Plagiarism
Pritam's music is catchy and is very popular with younger listeners. However, he has often been criticised for plagiarism. Pritam counters that he is simply "inspired" by various musical sources and cites his sources whenever appropriate.
A partial list is provided below:[1]
| Composition | Original | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'Aa Khushi Se Khud Khushi Kar Le' from Bhagam Bhag 2006 | 'Want Me, Want Me' by Namie Amuro | ||
| Ya Ali from Gangster 2006 | "Ya Ghaly" by Arabic band Guitara | Being sued [2] for lifting (even words are the same). | |
| Lamha Lamha from Gangster 2006 | Kal Shab Dekha Waris Baig from Pakistan | ||
| Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai from Gangster 2006 | Sacral Nirvana by Oliver Shanti & Friends | ||
| Bheegi Bheegi from Gangster 2006 | Pritibhi by Mohiner Ghoraguli | Gave credit to Mohiner for the same. | |
| Chore Ki Baatein from Fight Club 2006 | Channo Ki Aankhen by Pakistani artist Ali Zafar | Gave Ali Zafar credit for his original | |
| Title song of Ankahee 2006 | Somewhere in the World by Boney M | ||
| Is this Love from Pyaar Ke Side Effects 2006 | My Way by Paul Anka | The original was made famous by Frank Sinatra | |
| Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai from Woh Lamhe 2006 | Tak Bisakah by Peter Pan (Indonesian band) | ||
| Hai Ishq Ye Kya Ek Khata from Bas Ek Pal 2006 | Arabiyon Ana by Yuri Mrakadi | Same song was lifted in Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena | |
| Bheega Bheega Sa from Chocolate: Deep Dark Secrets 2005 | December by Pakistani Bhangra Artist Abrar-ul-Haq | Even lyrics are the same. | |
| Halka Halka Sa from Chocolate: Deep Dark Secrets 2005 | 'Breeze from Saint Maries' by Jesse Cook | ||
| Zahreeli Raatein from Chocolate: Deep Dark Secrets 2005 | Aadat by Pakistani rock band Jal | The movie Kalyug featured the original | |
| Ankhiyan Na Maar from Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena 2005 | Challa by Pakistani artist Waris Baig | ||
| Jal Jal Ke Dhuaan from Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena 2005 | Arabiyon Ana by Yuri Mrakadi | ||
| Jhoom from Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena 2005 | Copied from a Pepsi Commercial from the US | Commercial features Britney Spears | |
| Dil Samunder from Garam Masala 2005 | Kuzu Kuzu by Tarkan | ||
| Adaa from Garam Masala 2005 | Ana by Amr Diab | ||
| Chori Chori from Garam Masala 2005 | Hai Rabba by Dr Zeus | ||
| Dhoom Machaale from Dhoom 2004 | Instrumental by Jesse Cook | ||
| Shikdum from Dhoom 2004 | Shikdum by Sanjay Raina | Pritam: "I copied Tarkan's 'Sikidim'!" |
[edit] Filmography
| Year | Film | Other notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Bhram | Announced |
| 2007 | Raqeeb | Announced |
| 2007 | Goal! | Pre-production |
| 2007 | Honeymoon | Pre-production |
| 2007 | Fool and Final | Filming |
| 2006 | Dus Kahaniyaan | Filming |
| 2006 | Metro | Filming |
| 2006 | Hat Trick | Filming |
| 2006 | Pirate | Filming |
| 2006 | Bhagaam Bhaag | |
| 2006 | Dhoom 2 | |
| 2006 | Bas Ek Pal | |
| 2006 | Woh Lamhe | |
| 2006 | Apna Sapna Money Money | |
| 2006 | Naksha | |
| 2006 | Pyaar Ke Side Effects | |
| 2006 | Ankahee | |
| 2006 | Gangster | |
| 2006 | Fight Club | |
| 2005 | Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena | |
| 2005 | Garam Masala | |
| 2005 | Chocolate: Deep Dark Secrets | |
| 2005 | Chehraa | |
| 2004 | Dhoom | |
| 2003 | Fun2shh... Dudes in the 10th Century | |
| 2003 | Mudda: The Issue | With Jeet |
| 2003 | Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai | With Jeet |
| 2003 | Raghu Romeo | |
| 2003 | Stumped | |
| 2000 | Tere Liye | with Jeet |
| 1999 | Tasty Titbits | Short movie |
[edit] References
- ^ Inspired Indian Music.
- ^ The Times of India. 'Ya Ali is a rip-off of our song'. Retrieved on September 26, [[2006]].
