Renowned Bollywood composer Pritam has responded to plagiarism allegations involving BLACKPINK’s Jennie’s track, “Like Jennie,” and his composition, “Rani’s Anthem.” Fans noticed similarities between the two tracks, sparking debates on social media platforms.
Background of the Controversy
On March 4, 2025, Jennie released a teaser for her upcoming song, “Like Jennie,” from her debut solo album, Ruby, set to release on March 7. Fans quickly pointed out that the rhythm, beats, and vocal patterns in the teaser resembled “Rani’s Anthem,” the background score associated with Alia Bhatt’s character in the 2023 Bollywood film Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. This observation led to allegations that Jennie’s new track had copied elements from Pritam’s composition.
Pritam’s Response
Addressing the controversy, Pritam took to his Instagram account on March 7 to share his perspective. He began by highlighting that the names “Rani” and “Jennie” rhyme, suggesting that a similar flow in one phrase doesn’t constitute copying. He emphasized that minor similarities in music, such as rhymes or phrasing, are common and often coincidental, especially within the same genre. Pritam urged listeners to focus on the bigger picture rather than fixating on tiny details. He noted that in today’s interconnected world, artists share platforms and influences, making deliberate copying unlikely. He also mentioned that creating a song requires immense effort, and if artists resonate with an idea, collaboration is a more plausible route.
Pritam further elaborated that music is about creativity, unique artistic perspectives, influences, and sometimes pure coincidence, especially when artists operate on the same creative wavelength. He advocated for celebrating artists’ work rather than tearing them down and extended his best wishes to Jennie for her new album.
Diverse Fan Reactions
The allegations have elicited mixed reactions from fans and netizens. Some fans criticized Jennie, accusing her of plagiarizing Pritam’s work. One tweet read, “I cannot believe Jennie is plagiarizing Pritam, out of all. Bollywood out of all.” Another user wrote, “#BLACKPINK’s Jennie copied the song Rani Anthem from the movie Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani… in a way that sounds no different.”
Conversely, some fans defended Jennie, suggesting that Pritam might have sampled an older Korean song. A user argued, “Pritam literally copied ‘Pehli Nazar Me’ note for note from a Korean song. He probably did the same for this intro.”
Jennie’s Musical Journey
Jennie’s solo endeavors have been under the spotlight recently. On January 24, 2025, she released the music video for “Zen,” a track from her upcoming album Ruby. The video received praise for its visual aesthetics but also faced plagiarism allegations due to perceived similarities with XG’s “Howling.” Fans defended Jennie by pointing out that both videos shared the same director, Cho Gi-seok, suggesting that the similarities stemmed from his unique style rather than intentional copying.
The plagiarism allegations surrounding Jennie’s “Like Jennie” and Pritam’s “Rani’s Anthem” have sparked discussions about originality in the music industry. Pritam’s response highlights the need to focus on creativity and the broader artistic landscape instead of minor similarities. As the debate continues, it reminds us of the complex interplay between global musical influences and the subjective nature of artistic expression.
