Shuja Haider lashes out at Indian composer for 'copying' his ‘Baghi’ OST

Similarity between 'Piya Re Piya' and Haider's 2017 soundtrack for the popular drama is hard to ignore.

Singer, songwriter and music composer Shuja Haider has come out with a copyright claim that shouldn’t go unnoticed. The singer has claimed that his OST for Baghi – the popular biographical drama based on the late Qandeel Baloch – has been "copied" by India’s Rashid Khan and Yasser Desai. Haider has called out the music composer and singer in a tweet.

“Indian Music directors Yasser Desai and Rashid Khan copied my original song Baghi,” Haider alleged on the micro-blogging site. And before anyone could ask him to take it in his stride or worse, feel proud that "someone in India replicated his work," Haider shared, “and I am not proud of it. Absolutely not!”

Haider, who also made his Coke Studio debut in 2016 as a music director and songwriter for Aaqa and Khaki Banda, also shared the Indian track, the originality of which is now in question. Titled Piya Re Piya, the song has been released by Aatma Music. Sung by Desai, it is credited to have been composed by Khan and co-written by Khan and Anjan Sagri.

Indian Music directors Yasser Desai and Rashid Khan copied my original song “Baghi “and I am not proud of it. Absolutely not!#Apnabanaao@iamrealasim @yasserdesai @rashidkhan_19 pic.twitter.com/YaUYWyr7rw

— Shuja Haider (@theshujahaider) February 12, 2022

The similarity between Piya Re Piya and Baghi is hard to ignore. The chorus for Piya Re Piya may vary but its verse appears to be the same as Baghi’s. Fans of Baghi and Haider are convinced that the Indian track is a "rip off" and want the singer to take legal action. Even Abdul Wasey Naik of Arab News feels whatever's happened is unfair.

“So unfair! You've tagged wrong Rashid Khan though,” he commented under Haider’s post. “Brother, copyright claim kardein,” asked a user. “Yasser Desai only sang the song but yes, tune of the music is exactly same. Pathetic,” added another. Desai and Khan have not commented on the allegation yet.

Listen to both the songs here:

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