He might have a new project in the pipeline, but composer Anu Malik has been making headlines for his feud with nephew, composer-singer Amaal Mallik.
Controversy first struck in July, when Amaal accused Anu of sabotaging his father, singer Daboo Malik’s career due to jealousy. Last month, on a reality show, Amaal claimed that his uncle had ‘abandoned’ him during the Mumbai floods of 2005.
Addressing the claims, Anu tells us, “A lie told 1,000 times will never become the truth. One can’t waste energy reacting to everything.” The 64-year-old adds, “My father (composer Sardar Malik) always told me, never allow poison to churn in your mind. If you do, you’ll never be a good composer. People may hurt you, but they can’t take away your talent, that’s yours. I sit at my piano, make a new tune, and that’s my answer to the world.” Earlier this year, Anu had dismissed claims of a rift in the Malik family, calling Daboo his “jigar ka tukda” and described Amaal and his brother, singer Armaan Malik “humari jaan”.
Despite the controversy, Anu says his focus is “solely” on his work. The composer, who is working on songs for an upcoming romance, shares, “It is a very beautiful, tender story about a girl who has to choose between love and fame. The director told me, ‘I want songs that will stand the test of time.’ That’s how it all began.”
Even so, Anu admits that he often feels under-appreciated for his contributions to the industry. “I feel like I’ve been underused and underutilised. There’s still so much more I can give.”
What Amaal said
During an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Amaal aired out several personal and professional grievances against Anu. He claimed his uncle had “ruined” his father Daboo’s career and mistreated his mother Jyoti while she was pregnant. Last month, on Bigg Boss 19, he alleged that Anu and his family had seen him, aged 7, struggling to get home during the Mumbai floods and “locked their Mercedes, leaving me there”. He also said that he had chosen not to speak up for Anu when he was accused of sexual harassment cases during #MeToo since he no longer considers his uncle as part of the family.
