It is sad that they re-cycled Masakali solely for commercial purpose: Prasoon Joshi

Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, music composer A R Rahman and poet-lyricist Prasoon Joshi created the wonder-song Masakali in 2008 for the film Delhi 6.

Now another version of the song turns the creation into a desecration. The music video featuring Siddharth Malhotra and Tara Sutaria shows the love-birds intruding into a luxurious hotel room booked for some other guest. Which is a very apt act of trespassing in a song that celebrates vandalism.

Speaking angrily about the unforgivable in appropriation Prasoon Joshi says, “ Masakali is not just the word I created but the entire song is special for many reasons. Though all the songs I have written are special for me but a few are milestones in their own right. Delhi 6, the entire album I humbly say is truly iconic.”

Explaining the creative genesis of the word Masakali Joshi says, “Masakali is a word which I coined. It has no meaning and it’s not part of any language. I tried to intricately infuse meaning in it through imagery which painstakingly and masterfully AR Rehman composed and singer Mohit added many more dimensions to. Director Rakeysh Mehra, cinematographer Binod Pradhan and of course, Sonam K Ahuja who made the song come to life visually on screen.”

Emotionally and spiritually attached to the song Prasoon says, “I remember soon after the Masakali song came out young a girl wrote to me that she was fighting a life threatening illness and in her journey to recovery the song Masakali and specially my words Udiyo Na Dariyo from the song were her strength constantly. Things created from the heart and with painstaking craft reach out and make a genuine difference. So when they are simply re-cycled with the sole commercial purpose it is indeed sad .”

Prasoon Joshi brings forward the whole debate of copyright infringement. “There is a larger point here and that is, who will protect the sanctity of original music and poetry? Is there any accountability to the music lovers here, or whoever feels like can tamper with the soul of a song? A song or poem has a unique narrative and we need to protect the minutes threads of this intricate fabric.”