Amjad Sabri not looking for work in India

Kabir Khan finds the qawwal’s statement saddening as the singer accuses the director of copyrights infringement

KARACHI: Amjad Sabri singer who has been in the media ever since he claimed that Bajrangi Bhaijaan violated copyrights by using the qawwali Bhar Do Jholi without obtaining the rights. In a new turn of events the singer has said that he intends to file a case against the film’s director, Kabir Khan, and the playback singer for using the song without his permission reported the Roznama Express.

“Amjad Sabri’s statement is sad as Ghulam Fareed Sabri (Late) was well respected in India as well. The reason behind including his qawwali in the movie was to give a tribute to him and this is something Amjad Sabri should be glad about,” Kabir Khan told Roznama Express.

Read: EMI, Amjad Sabri to sue Bajrangi Bhaijan makers over 'Bhar do jholi'

Responding to the director’s claims Sabri told the publication that he has been ‘mistreated’ and that it is wrong to include any popular song in a Bollywood film without permission. He added that, “I have no such ambitions of going to work in India as I have earned a lot of fame and fortune in my own country.”

Amjad Sabri had earlier told that he has filed a petition in Indian court against Salman Khan and the film’s music director Pritam Chakarborty. “He has named himself as the music composer, without any special acknowledgement or thanks to my father,” Amjad had said. “They have asked me to prove if the qawwali is a property of Sabri Brothers,” he added. “Even a child can tell them that Bhar Do Jholi belongs to my father, Ghulam Farid Sabri.”

When asked if he wanted any damages to be paid by the film’s producers, Amjad said he only expected ‘compensation’. The version used in the film has been reworked by composer Pritam Chakarborty and the film has been produced by Salman Khan Films and Kabir Khan Films.

Read: Amjad Sabri to visit India to resolve Bhar Do Jholi controversy

Earlier EMI Pakistan tiold The Express Tribune that Bhar do Jholi was an EMI product which was not only released by EMI Pakistan but also recorded and produced under their banner. “None of the authorities involved in the making of Bajrangi Bhaijan approached us to acquire the rights to the qawwali and as a result, we have sent them legal notices,” Zeeshan Chaudary, the general manager of EMI Pakistan, had told The Express Tribune.

As per details shared by the record label, the “original” qawwali was written by Purnam Allahbadi, composed by Maqbool Sabri and performed by Sabri Brothers for the purpose of recording a soundtrack in 1975.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st,  2015.

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