MY TAKE

LOVE SONGS OR STALKER ANTHEMS?

Shammi Kapoor and Rajshri in Janwar (1965).

By SHAGORIKA EASWAR

Listening to songs from new Hindi movies, I find myself lamenting the loss of poetry and music that characterized old songs.

Barring a few like Moh, moh ke dhage from Dum Laga Ke Haisha, the rest seem to be pure noise.

It must be a factor of age, I tell myself. But it’s not that alone, for most of my favourites seem to be not from when I was in my teens or twenties, but songs from my mother’s generation. I can listen to songs from Bandini, Sujata, or Guide over and over again. By the time Aradhana and Amar Prem came around, we were on a slippery slope, but still, there was poetry in Kuch toh log kahenge. The songs resonated because the words held meaning.

But then I am also reminded of the many songs that were almost anthems for accosting women. Take Akele, akele kahan jaa rahe ho from An Evening in Paris.

Shammi Kapoor follows Shr-mila Tagore, asking her where she is headed alone.

Koi rok lega

to phir kya karoge...

Kadam thaam lega

to phir kya karoge...

What will you do if someone stops you?

If this were to play out in real life, one would think the woman would have the sense to run for her life. But no, she is giddy-headed and giggling by the time the song ends.

Ditto for Koi haseena jab rooth jaati hai toh from Sholay.

The whip-wielding, cursing tangewali is transformed into a coy, simpering woman by the time the hero is done pushing, pulling and manhandling her, all the while singing – loudly.

A friend I was discussing this with reminds me of another horror – Baith jaa, baith gayee from Shareef Badmash, a Dev Anand-Hema Malini starrer. I’m tempted to ask, what was wrong with these actors? But they were just a few of a whole galaxy of stars promoting such behaviour. And so, back to the song. In the movie, Dev Anand gives Hema Malini a “truth drug” to get her to confess to her love for him, followed by this song in which she basically is hyptonized into acting like a doll, willing to sit and stand on command.

Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani in Kabir Singh (2019).

Downright creepy, if you look at it from today’s sensibilities.

I admire much of Aamir Khan’s recent work. A Google search will reveal that over a career spanning 30-plus years in Hindi cinema, he has established himself as one of the most popular and influential actors of Indian cinema with a large global following, especially in India and China.

He was described by Newsweek as “the biggest movie star” in the world. He is the recipient of  four National Film Awards and was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri in 2003 and the Padma Bhushan in 2010. For years, he has been regularly listed one among The 500 Most Influential Muslims of the world.

He has made movies like Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots, PK, and Dangal. His hard-hitting television series Satyamev Jayate shone the light on a whole slew of social and cultural issues.

And yet he, too, has chased his leading ladies with songs that I take serious issue with.

Take Khambe jaise khadi hai from the blockbuster Dil.

Yes, that was back in 1990 and yes, the man has evolved since.

But the movies have only regressed.

Just a couple of years ago, Shahid Kapoor bullied poor Kiara Advani into falling in love with him in Kabir Singh. In Kaise hua, he’s rough with her, embarrasses her in front of her classmates, but the girl who starts off petrified, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, is, predictably, all doe-eyed as they ride away on his motorbike.

If they keep making movies that encourage this behaviour then how can we expect change?

But then why blame the movie-makers alone?

If we keep watching movies that encourage this behaviour then how can we expect change?

All of these movies were monster hits.

No one seemed to find anything objectionable in their misogynistic depiction of love.

Someone asked Javed Akhtar during a session of Jashn-e-Rekhta if lyrics had reached their rock bottom in new movies.

I’m paraphrasing his response here:

“Lyricists write what sells. If people have no issues with watching their young daughters dancing to choli ke peeche kya hai, then you’ll continue to get such songs.”

Fortunately for Akhtar, the lyrics of Koi haseena jab rooth jaati hai toh from the blockbuster Sholay (for which he co-wrote the screenplay) were written by Anand Bakshi.

When you listen to new songs, listen to the words as well. Hear the message. And if they go against the grain, delete them from your playlist. Because songs are not just catchy beats, they have words, too.

And words are very powerful.

I would hate to think that a girl was being stalked to a song that I have given the thumbs up to.