Secured necessary adaptation rights: ‘Pippa’ makers on controversy surrounding Kazi Nazrul Islam’s song

The poet’s grandson and painter Kazi Anirban claimed that the family had given the makers permission to use the song but not to change the tunes and rhythm

The new rendition of ‘Karar oi louho kopat’ in Pippa is a sincere artistic interpretation and done after securing necessary adaptation rights, the film’s team said on Monday, days after AR Rahman’s version of the beloved Kazi Nazrul Islam poem attracted controversy for its alleged “distortion”.

The poet's grandson and painter Kazi Anirban claimed that the family had given the makers permission to use the song but not to change the tunes and rhythm.

In a statement, the team behind Pippa, produced by RSVP and Roy Kapur Films, said they have "deep respect" for the original composition, Islam and his immeasurable contribution to the "musical, political and social landscape of the Indian subcontinent". The album, they said, was created as a tribute to those behind the liberation of Bangladesh.

"In light of the current discourse surrounding the song 'Karar Oi Louho Kopat' the producers, director and music composer of the film Pippa wish to clarify that our rendition of the song is a sincere artistic interpretation, embarked upon only after securing the necessary adaptation rights from the estate of the Late Mr. Kazi Nazrul Islam," the statement read.

The film, starring Ishaan Khatter and Mrunal Thakur, is set during the 1971 India-Pakistan war and is directed by Raja Krishna Menon.

"We approached the making of this song by faithfully following both the letter and the spirit of the license agreement for the lyrics, as duly signed with Late Mrs. Kalyani Kazi and witnessed by Mr. Anirban Kazi. Our intent was to pay homage to the cultural significance of the song while adhering to the terms set forth in our agreement, which permitted us to use the lyrics with a new composition," it added.

Islam, popularly known as the 'rebel poet', was born in 1899 in present-day West Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district. His songs, known as 'Nazrul geeti', are probably second in terms of popularity after those of Rabindranath Tagore in Bengal. He later became the national poet of Bangladesh. Islam died in 1976.