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'The theft of Pakistani music continues': Hadiqa Kiani on Bollywood using her songs without permission

'The theft of Pakistani music continues': Hadiqa Kiani on Bollywood using her songs without permission

"Profiting off of someone else's hit song without any thought is not right," said the singer.
29 Apr, 2022

Musician and actor Hadiqa Kiani is not okay with artists making use of her music without asking for permission or crediting her original pieces. The 'Humsafar' singer would feel "flattered" by the "tribute" if they'd only do it respectfully, instead of just trying to "profit off someone else's hit song."

Indian singer Kanika Kapoor released her rendition of 'Boohey Barian' on April 28 without crediting Kiani. The 'Jaanan' singer shared a screenshot of the music video on her Instagram story to discuss the matter and got very candid about how much it unsettled her. "Another day and another shameless rendition of the song my mother wrote. No one asked for my permission, no one has given me royalties, they just take the song that my mother wrote and I recorded, and use it as an easy money making scheme," she wrote in her long note.

The 'Hona Tha Pyaar' singer said her song has been "stolen" multiple times in Bollywood films that have starred the likes of Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta and countless times by singers who both perform on stage and those who produce music videos based on the covers. "Some of these cover videos have received almost 200 million views on YouTube. The latter gives me 'credit' by saying 'original song: 'Boohey Barian' by Hadiqa Kiani'," she added.

The 'Kamli' singer juxtaposed this behaviour with hers and said when she sings the cover of a song, she brings rights to the song, asks for permission or pays royalties to the artist because that's what she considers the "ethical way to do things."

"I'm alive and well, if you want [to] sing my songs, ask me first..." the Dobara actor set down how she expects other artists to proceed if they want to use her music. She added that she wants to feel good about the covers because it's "flattering" but there is a "right and wrong way to do something" and "profiting off of someone else's hit song" is not the way to go about it.

She clarified that she holds no personal grudges against the singers who sing her song. "I'm just upset with the way that they all seem to go about the process..." she added. "Anyways. The theft of Pakistani music continues."

Kiani also posted a screenshot of the comment section where her fans called out the "theft" and stood up for her, saying the song's a copy. "Grateful to my fans and supporters. These people will buy million fake views and fake comments but real people know the truth," she wrote.

She posted another section of the comments that was flooded with emojis captioned, "How to spot fake and PAID comments from bots on Instagram. Shameless."

Stealing an artist's content or work is a very serious issue — artists put a lot effort into creating something that's original and theirs. To have someone steal your intellectual property is not okay and people should always ask for permission and credit the artist — there is no other way to go about it than having the content owner in the loop and part of the process.

Comments

Pakistani Too Apr 29, 2022 02:57pm
Report Intellectual Property Violation via Instagram
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Fast comment Apr 29, 2022 02:57pm
This is not new. The infringement being continuously in place at both sides.
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Abdur Razzaque Apr 29, 2022 03:26pm
Can we file a case to the International Court of Justice against Kanika Kapoor for destroying the original Pakistani music?
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A lige Apr 29, 2022 03:29pm
Rejected
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Apr 29, 2022 03:39pm
Illegal, immoral and unethical copying and usage of intellectual properties of both the Lollywood and the Hollywood has been the hallmark of the so-called Bollywood and its worldwide clueless, hopeless, useless, ruthless, gutless and gritless affiliates, stooges, cronies and facilitators since August 15, 1947, as the shameless practices of copying, cheating, pasting and plagiarism continues with each passing day since old and bad habits die hard.
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N_Saq Apr 29, 2022 04:22pm
She should bring up the royalties issue in the ICJ and force India to pay. I can guarantee it that she will win because copy rights is very big thing in the West.
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kash Apr 29, 2022 04:25pm
court case plz
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ZKhan Apr 29, 2022 04:39pm
Hadiqa is absolutely correct. Unfortunately, Pakistan is not signatory to International Copyrights and Trademark Protection Treaty. Thus, Pakistanis do not have any protection for others copying its work and vice versa, world does not have any protection from Pakistanis copying its work.
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Rocket Apr 29, 2022 04:50pm
This stealing of songs is practiced by people from both countries since 1947, this is not a new phenomenon. For every Pakistani song stolen, there is also an Indian song...Hamam mein sab nange hain.....both countries should make strong laws to curb piracy and these thefts
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Art Apr 29, 2022 05:06pm
Bollywood is a copywood and has no shame!
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M. Saeed Apr 29, 2022 05:30pm
Atleast, we are the same people who like the same things. Such stealing at least reduces some friction, when we have no copy-rights arrangements.
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saddu Apr 29, 2022 06:29pm
love Hadiqa Kiani
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Imran khan (Mardan) KPK Apr 29, 2022 06:32pm
What else can you expect from Bollywood ? It won’t be Bollywood if it stops copying Hollywood and every possible place to steal from.
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Imran khan (Mardan) KPK Apr 29, 2022 06:34pm
Indians don’t get tired of mocking Chinese for copying others intellectual rights but themselves have mastered the stealing style.
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Imran khan (Mardan) KPK Apr 29, 2022 06:37pm
Bollywood is a farce. It thrives on cheap number items, copying and theft of songs and stories and substandard quality stuff.
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Saira Khan Apr 29, 2022 07:32pm
Typical Indians. From art to engineering, they can only copy.
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T-man Apr 29, 2022 07:38pm
Indians are known to steal whenever and wherever they can.
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T-man Apr 29, 2022 07:44pm
Stealing intellectual property is the way India is making progress.
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T-man Apr 29, 2022 07:45pm
They are the real chors of the world.
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Tanvir Khan Apr 29, 2022 07:50pm
The national symbol of Indians is portrayed by Bollywood actors: soaked armpits ... phooey!
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NYS Apr 29, 2022 08:02pm
Hadiqa is one of the talented singer turned actress her take on piracy towards Indian is not new this propeganda is in their roots
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s Apr 29, 2022 08:16pm
Music is universal - Knows no boundaries.
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Jingle Apr 29, 2022 08:27pm
From India and completely support her if somebody stole from her. Please sue the copycats. Hope you get justice.
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Hansoti sh Apr 29, 2022 08:34pm
"India" is stolen from Indus-stan Pakistan by GANGA-deshis
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Hansoti sh Apr 29, 2022 08:36pm
@s autocratic India scammer central is PIRACY HQ
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Mohsin Apr 29, 2022 09:02pm
I would like to point out that Pakistan is a member of WIPO (The world intellectual property organization). Pakistani intellectual work if registered with the proper authorities in Pakistan is protected in 193 countries. Unfortunately, our artists do not register their work with the proper authorities because they lack awareness. The IPO Pakistan head office is in Islamabad and the Karachi office is located at the Civic center.
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Majid Apr 29, 2022 09:09pm
Pakistanis are the best in Music and Art. Compared to that Indian artists are mediocre and lacks creativity. So only option for them is to steal Pakistani content.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Apr 29, 2022 09:10pm
True face of the so-called Bollywood actors, artists, singers, writers, poets, musicians, music directors, producers and others have been exposed before the whole world as intellectual property thieves, stealers, swindlers, fraudsters, tricksters, cheaters, hustlers and plagiarism crooks.
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Anonymouseee Apr 29, 2022 09:12pm
Nothing can be done u fortunately. The whole of Bollywood copies from the west and Pakistan, whether it be music or movies. Even the government of India tries to copy the west.
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RK Dubey Apr 29, 2022 09:33pm
If she believes that any one in Indian film or music industry, without her permission use her songs or videos, then she can take legal action not only in Pakistan but in Indian courts too.
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SachBol Apr 29, 2022 09:39pm
This should be fought at international court, so she could get royalty.
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Kk Apr 29, 2022 10:02pm
Bollywood steals shamelessly from Pakistan, Arab film and music and Hollywood. They don’t pay for IP rights.
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S Apr 29, 2022 10:22pm
Haqina who??
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Rafique Apr 29, 2022 10:44pm
Hadiqa you should have copyright it or trade secret it in the international market. Pledge check or make sure next time . No matter what original is original .
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Dube Apr 29, 2022 11:04pm
@Imran khan (Mardan) KPK The language is ours which you are using and the royalty must be paid through such works. Don't complain.
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Akbar Apr 30, 2022 12:02am
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad do you have any clue to how much Pak industries copy and infringe? or do you just wish to ignore it as it benefitting you?
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Mazhar Apr 30, 2022 12:29am
New Indian singers are also destroying their own Indian great songs of 80s as well. India is china of music and films (copying everything).
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Jagan Apr 30, 2022 12:32am
Shame on Bollywood. First they copied from South India, now stealing...... Disgrace to the nation
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Al Athar Apr 30, 2022 12:42am
Yet another shameless theft by Indian performers. Sorry Hadiqa. We love you as one of our distinguished artists.
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Harambe Apr 30, 2022 01:18am
@N_Saq: Why India? Go after the actual thieves!
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Harambe Apr 30, 2022 01:21am
@Art There R NO thieves in Islamic Pakistan!
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Harambe Apr 30, 2022 01:22am
@Imran khan (Mardan) KPK : Therefore all R thieves! Look in the mirror!
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Kam Apr 30, 2022 01:49am
Why isn't copyright laws being used. Why are these artists to are stealing the music being sued. You don't get this in the Western countries
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Flag Apr 30, 2022 02:03am
Horrible Hindustan
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Khan Duraani Apr 30, 2022 02:06am
Mumbai local trains also people sing this song and collect money.
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Mufasa Apr 30, 2022 03:49am
@Fast comment India doesn't have music worth stealing. Don't both sides this issue.
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Texas Tariq Apr 30, 2022 03:58am
They are Indians, and they steal and copycat everything shamelessly. You should take them to a US court and sue them for intellectual property theft Pakistan government should be helping protect our talent. Boycott Indian products and Shane them. They are obsessed with Pakistani culture because we are superior.
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Texas Tariq Apr 30, 2022 04:00am
@Rocket nonsense, we don't steal from India because we have too much talent, tell me what Pakistan stole?
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Ahmed Zawar Apr 30, 2022 04:58am
The 'humsafar' singer? When did Hadiqa sing Humsafar, it was Quratalain Baloch
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Cosmo Apr 30, 2022 04:59am
Bollywood is notorious for stealing intellectual properties. As shameful as that is, I remember, after the release of Agent Vinod movie, entire Pakistan promoted piracy of Bollywood movies to hurt Indian movie Industry. Even today, Pakistani streets and cable channels are flooded with pirated copies of Indian and Hollywood movies. So its quite rich of Pakistanis preaching Bollywood on the theft of intellectual property!
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Sunil Apr 30, 2022 05:21am
It’s a two way street. Please stop piracy of Bollywood movies.
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Awaara Apr 30, 2022 05:53am
The theft of india movies continues. Pakistan pirates Bollywood movies , show pirated copies in theaters and sell illegal dvds.
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zaya Apr 30, 2022 06:54am
Did you expect any different from indian culture, if it exists, it was there because of Muslims in india were free, not now?
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Azeez Apr 30, 2022 07:16am
@Kk you mean world class lollywood.....?
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Brad Apr 30, 2022 07:31am
In one country there are artists who copy some songs and they should be brought to justice. But there is another country where the whole country has been listening and using songs and movies and other content without paying any royalty for last 75 years since officially it is “banned”
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Tadka Apr 30, 2022 08:48am
@Hansoti sh. well geography expert check where the mouth of Indus river is??? It's not ur property alone
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Tadka Apr 30, 2022 08:52am
@Saira Khan they must have leant from watching you guys steal
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krishna Apr 30, 2022 09:22am
@Abdur Razzaque Yes go ahead there are hundreds like this in films and music by Lollywood
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Javed Apr 30, 2022 09:23am
Indians have no shame they have no culture. Their culture is also from present Pakistani land (ancient India).
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Manmohan Apr 30, 2022 09:35am
This is a very common problem everywhere, with no easy solution. Even in Pakistan, there was the Arooj Aftab controversy about not crediting original singers, as well as allegations on Xulfi on stealing tunes and ideas from junior artist. Read all these controversies on Dawn itself.
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Usman Apr 30, 2022 10:21am
Bollywood continues to do what it is excellent at plagiarism.
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Zubair Khan Apr 30, 2022 12:16pm
Nothing new it's been happening for years
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Rian Apr 30, 2022 01:32pm
Publicly shame the plagiarists #Theftshame
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Tadka Apr 30, 2022 08:11pm
@Javed indeed...that's y in Amerika n southeast Asia your Ppl love to introduce themselves as Indians ???ever wondered y?
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MKhan Apr 30, 2022 11:00pm
@Mohsin, that is not true. While Pakistan wants IP protection from the world, they’re not willing to abide by the IP regulations. Treaty has been discussed but the government never ratified it. So, IP registrations and protections is only within Pakistan jurisdiction, not from the entire world.
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Naveed May 02, 2022 07:15am
Hadiqa should sue them in the USA. That is the only place she can expect justice in this case. Bollywood would only understand if there is penalty, otherwise shameless Bollywood would continue to illegally copy music.
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Nayyar Sayedi May 02, 2022 12:41pm
Kanika looks more honest (and cute) that Hadiqa. I trust her.
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Father son brother May 02, 2022 01:20pm
No comparison to our Hadiqa, her song sung way to melodious
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Uyghyr ahmadi May 03, 2022 04:36am
But is it really your original work? You stole it from folk singers. Did you pay them any royalties?
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Humanity Shouldbereligion May 05, 2022 10:34am
@Abdur Razzaque Listen the song "Panj Bariya", sung by Hans Raj Hans, he released the song in 1996, 2 years before Hadiqa's version. Now who copied whom? Will you tell me?
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