Mumbai: Amid the growing backlash over Badshah’s song ‘Tateeree’, singer Sona Mohapatra called out the rapper, saying he should do better and be more responsible about the kind of content he releases.
Taking to her Instagram handle on Wednesday, Sona shared a strongly-worded note, taking a sharp dig at Badshah over his controversial Haryanvi song.
“& now young girls in uniforms as props … Stop with this brain & soul rot. Real men exist. The good. The honourable. The ones who show up & stand up, let’s make them the heroes ? Let’s make them the ones we desire ? #India deserves better”, read the caption of the note.
Sona went on to write: “Not the first time we’ve seen this template. A man puffing up his chest, flexing masculinity, objectifying women, and projecting himself as some irresistible hero while women exist merely to drool around him. ‘Tu mujhpe marti hai, mujhpe jaan chidakti hai’ type of flights of rubbish swag … This isn’t creativity. It’s the laziest trope in pop culture.”
She didn’t stop there. “And just calling yourself a “son of Haryana” with a sad face doesn’t cut it. Haryana already battles some of the country’s worst gender ratios, violence against women and honour killings. Cultural influence carries responsibility? Artists shape imagination. You can challenge misogyny or profit from it. BADSHAH & this lot, do better.”
“& those of you fashion victim wannabes paying for this shit.. grow a brain or a soul?” she concluded.
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After an FIR was lodged against the singer over allegations that his song ‘Tateeree’ features girls in school uniforms dancing in a Haryana Roadways bus and making objectionable gestures, Haryana Police issued a lookout notice.
Following the controversy, Badshah did issue an apology, saying that he did not intend to hurt anyone.
“Mera gaana Tateeree release hua hain aur main dekh raha hoon ki uske ek hisse mein mere lyrics aur uske visual representation ke vajah se jo message gaya hain usse kayi logon ko, khaas kar mere Haryana ke apne logon ko, unke sentiments ko, thesh pohonchi hain. Sabse pehle main ye kehna chahta hoon ki main khud Haryana se hoon. Jo log mujhe jante hain, jante hain ki meri boli, khan-paan, rehen-sehen, meri pehchaan Haryana se hain. Bohot hi proud Haryanvi hoon (My new song has released and I am seeing that the lyrics and the visual representation has caused a lot of people, especially from Haryana, a lot of hurt. Firstly I want to say that I am from Haryana. Those who know me will vouch for the fact that my entire identity rests on it. I am a proud Haryanvi)”, Badshah shared in a video message on Instagram.
“Mera kabhi bhi koi aisa iraada nahi tha, koi aisa uddeshya nahi tha ki main Haryana ke kisi bachche, kisi woman, kisi mahila ke baare mein aisi behuudi baat karoon. Main hip hop genre se hoon jaha lyrics aksar competition ko neecha dikhate hain, apne pratitdwandi ke liye hote hain. Ye kabhi bhi kisi aurat ya bachche ke liye kabhi nahi tha. Aur na main kabhi aisi karunga. Maine humesha koshish ki hain ki main Haryana ke culture ko aur uske boli ko jahan apne saath lekar ja sakta hoon, jitni uunchai pe le ja sakta hoon jaun. Lekin agar uss hisse se kisi ko bhi thesh pohochi hein toh main tahey dil se aap sab se shama maangta hoon. Main ummeed karta hoon ki aap mujhe Haryana ka beta samajh kar, apna beta samajh kar mujhe maaf karenge (I never had the intention or the aim to speak of any women or children of Haryana in this manner. I am from the hip hop genre so the lyrics are often added on to show the competition down, for the competitor. This was never meant for the women or the kids. I would never do that. I have always tried to uplift Haryana’s culture however I can. But if this has caused hurt to anyone, I would like to express my heartfelt apology. I hope that you will consider me as Haryana’s son, your own son and forgive me),” he added.
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