Singer Babul Supriyo has recalled his 2005 disagreement with Sonu Nigam and compared it with the earlier dispute between legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi over music royalties.
Supriyo and Nigam had a heated exchange at music director Aadesh Srivastava's birthday party at Mumbai's Sun-n-Sand Hotel in Juhu in 2005. What began as a discussion about music royalties eventually turned into an argument.
In a recent interview with SCREEN, Supriyo said similar differences had once emerged between Mangeshkar and Rafi over the same issue.
"A similar fallout happened even between Lata Mangeshkar and Rafi Sahab; it was over the same thing," he said, adding that the issue should now be left in the past.
Supriyo said older musicians are helping singers secure better earnings and that music companies have also recognized the importance of royalties.
He recalled that singers previously had royalty agreements and said he still receives royalties from his HMV contracts for albums released in 1998-99. However, he said payments were generally linked to successful songs and depended on what music companies agreed to pay.
He said artists who had only one or two hit songs often did not receive royalties. He also recalled refusing to give up his share of earnings from live shows despite pressure from some music companies, saying the decision cost him several songs.
Supriyo said the music industry's revenue model has changed significantly with the rise of digital platforms, even after CDs and cassettes declined.
He added that his relationship with Nigam is now good and praised Nigam, Anup Jalota, Shaan and other senior singers for their efforts.
Regarding the Lata-Rafi dispute, a biography of Rafi says differences over royalty payments on their duets led the two singers to stop recording together for around two to three years in the early 1960s.
According to Mohammed Rafi: My Abba - A Memoir, Mangeshkar wanted royalty payments from producers, while Rafi believed singers should not receive royalties after being paid their agreed fees.
The two eventually reconciled after music director Jaikishen helped resolve their differences. Their first duet after the dispute was recorded for the film Palkon Ki Chhaaon Mein.
Source: NDTV