Rewind: Lyricist missing from credits, again

When the film was first released in 1960 by K. Asif, a Pakistani fan had written to The Dawn, saying the song has been lifted. ‘‘The original song was sung live by master Mukund and even recorded by a gramophone company, The Twins,’’ says Raskavi’s grandson.

Raskavi reportedly approached Asif but it was only after he complained to the Film Writers’ Association that Badayuni and Asif relented and paid him Rs 11,000 as royalty. Forty years after the classic film was re-released, Raskavi has been overlooked again.

Brahmbhatt has served a notice, asking current producers Boney Kapoor, Dinesh Gandhi and the Shapoorji Pallonji-run Sterling Investment Corporation Ltd to give due credit for the song to his grandfather. The producers wonder why the issue didn’t come up in the last 40 years.

Says Deepesh Salgia of Shapoorji Pallonji: ‘‘We have used all the credits that were mentioned in the original film. Nowhere even in the film negatives did Raskavi’s name ever figure.’’ He will meet Brahmbhatt tomorrow. ‘‘I have to cross-check all the records for a solution.”

Boney Kapoor has no qualms accepting the doctor’s arguments: ‘‘He pointed out this fact two days to the premiere when the music records and the film were in the can…we can reach some arrangement and give credit to the original lyricist when the film is shown on TV.”