In a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama, Lalit Pandit, one half of the renowned Bollywood music duo Jatin-Lalit, has alleged that composers Nadeem-Shravan used Pakistani tracks to create the iconic soundtrack of the 1990 film ‘Aashiqui.’ Pandit claims that many of the songs from the soundtrack were not originally composed by Nadeem-Shravan but were instead reproductions of Pakistani music.
Pandit, when discussing the era of Nadeem-Shravan, stated that their music differed significantly from his and Jatin’s style. He recounted how Nadeem often traveled to Dubai, where he would buy numerous Pakistani cassettes. These tracks were then reproduced in India, a practice that Pandit says was well-known within the Bollywood music industry. According to Pandit, several songs from ‘Aashiqui’ retained their original Pakistani lyrics, indicating a direct use of these foreign tracks rather than original compositions by Nadeem-Shravan.
In the same interview, Pandit reflected on his own approach to music and creativity. He admitted to drawing inspiration from various sources, including English songs, which he sometimes incorporated into Bollywood tracks. However, he emphasized that while Jatin-Lalit took inspiration, they never outright copied a song. Pandit explained that his brother Jatin was a “pure composer” who maintained originality in their music. In contrast, Pandit himself would blend elements from different songs in a subtle manner, creating a unique sound that only he could identify.
Pandit underlined the importance of a composer’s music being instantly recognizable as their own work. He argued that despite drawing inspiration from different genres and sources, a composer should maintain a distinctive style, something he believes Nadeem-Shravan lacked with their approach to the ‘Aashiqui’ soundtrack.
‘Aashiqui,’ which starred Rahul Roy and Annu Agarwal, became a massive success, catapulting its leads to stardom. The film’s soundtrack is often remembered as one of the most memorable in Hindi cinema. Its sequel, released two decades later, featured Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor and was also a significant hit, continuing the legacy of the original film.
