Besharam Rang Song Archives - Lokmarg

Pathaan’s Success Is A Fitting Response To Boycott Brigade

By LokMarg 9th February 2023

Satyam Shrivastava, a Delhi-based development professional, says Indian audience is fed up with the cancel culture which selectively targets a section of Bollywood

I watched the Shahrukh-starrer Pathaan a couple of days back with my family at a PVR multiplex in New Delhi. The excitement around the theatre was palpable; it was teeming with SRK fans. Despite the increased prices of tickets, there was heavy rush at the booking window. I think such a rage was seen for the first time since the reopening of cinema halls after Covid days.

It is possible that the calls to boycott the movie had sparked some kind of defiant thrill among Shahrukh Khan’s admirers. I am in no doubt that Pathaan will prove to be a ‘bounce back’ moment for Bollywood.

I had my individual reasons to watch the movie; I went there in support of Shahrukh Khan. I am sure I was not alone with the cause. The entire opposition to the movie was based on a ridiculous argument: a brief clip of Deepika Padukone wearing an orange (some saw saffron) bikini and singing Besharam Rang. Clearly, the target of the boycott brigade was Shahrukh Khan and Deepika, not the movie or the perceived vulgarity.

These two are film stars have, in their silent and subtle conduct, defied the Hindutva majoritarianism. Despite all kinds of state and non-state harassment, they have stood their ground. While Deepika made her silent presence felt in solidarity with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students, Shahrukh Khan, stoically countered a conspiratorial campaign against his son Aryan and did not line up to serve the powers that be. This had riled the Hindutva brigade no end who champion a different idea of ‘New India’.

ALSO READ: ‘Pathaan Injects A Fresh Lease Of Life In Bollywood’

Shahrukh and Deepika represent an ‘old India’ where artists were recognised by their talent and not by their surname, caste or ideology. And the movie, Pathaan stands like a non-violent resistance symbol to the boycott brigade representing a majoritarian ideology.

There are reports that many theatres have started additional slots to screen Pathaan; single-screen theatres have got the opportunity they had been long waiting for; and about the audience is going berserk when Salman Khan makes and entry. It proves that the audiences are fed up with such baseless boycott calls, and have collectively stood up to the threats by showing up in large numbers. The message is: We shall decide which movie to watch or disregard.

Pathaan is an entertaining ensemble of filmy massalas. And entertainment remains the main objective of any artwork. The film will also be a trendsetter in terms of the use of technology in Hindi cinema and pave way for making films in the same league as the Marvel Studios of Hollywood. Air fights, high-speed biking on ice, VFX footages are all very common in western cinema. Now these are being served by Bollywood too.

‘Pathaan Has Injected a Fresh Lease of Life Into Bollywood’

By LokMarg 31st January 2023

Priyanka Gupta, a socialite and social worker from Lucknow, says the Shahrukh Khan-starrer ticks all the boxes to qualify as a super-duper entertainer

I am very choosy about the movies to be watched in a theatre. Therefore, before buying tickets for Pathaan, I checked its reviews in the media, sought responses of my friends and the occupancy in the cinema halls before placing my buck on it. I am happy to say that the ticket-money was well spent; the film just blew my mind.

Though I am not a die-hard fan of Shahrukh Khan, from the terrific response of the audience in the cinema halls, I can tell you that the Hindi audience was long waiting for an entertainer like Pathaan. This SRK-entertainer has lived up to the expectations and the hype created before the release. Be it the star power, action sequences, choreography, twist & turns, or the high pitch of Rashtravad (nationalism), the movie ticks all the boxes to qualify as a paisa-wasool blockbuster.

The movie’s never-before kind of success came as a big relief for the cinema hall owners, who had been reeling under financial hardships since Covid times. Even after the theatres had reopened, most of the movies were run of the mill and could not book adequate profit. Not just theatre owners, it has also brought much-needed succour for the struggling Bollywood. Many critics had begun to write off Bollywood studios in favour of the South Indian cinema.

Looking into the gloom that prevailed for the past couple of years, Pathaan comes as a breath of fresh air. I think the negative campaign by various outfits against Shahrukh Khan may have also worked in its favour. The audience is not a fool. If the movie gives us the bang for our buck, we shall watch it. I am glad that wisdom prevailed over negativity. All those Boycott Bollywood, saffron bikini, body-shaming messages finally fell flat on their face.

***Gupta (left) calls Pathaan a complete entertainer***

Deepika Padukone is not the only star who has worn a bhagwa color outfit in a song. I can count any number of songs on fingertips where heroines had put on clothes of similar colour in far more ‘outrageous’ settings with bawdy lyrics. But Team Shahrukh has to face bigger scrutiny for reasons that I would not like to discuss or elaborate here.

ALSO READ: ‘Pathaan Brings Old World Revelry To Theatres’

The story line is entertaining, so is the background music, action sequences (however unbelievable) and a fast pace. Watching it on a large screen was an engrossing experience. I particularly found the Salman Khan’s cameo as one of the movie’s finest moments; Sallu’s entry set the audience on fire. But overall, it was a collective fare. Shahrukh Khan, Deepika, John Abraham, along with other co-stars, delivered a complete massala hit that Bollywood is known for.

The bottom line is audience will decide for themselves which movie to watch and which movie to abandon. Those who are trying to set an agenda in the field of entertainment will not succeed. To quote a cinematic line for the occasion, Indian audience only wants three things from a movie: Entertainment, entertainment and… entertainment.

As told to Rajat Rai

Read more: http://13.232.95.176/

Bigotry Is Being Passed As Religious Sentiment

By LokMarg 29th December 2022

Yusra Naqvi, a student of history in Jamia Millia Islamia University, says Shahrukh and Deepika have been targeted for not pandering to the powers that be

Amid the catastrophic rise in poverty and hunger index, inflation, violence, mass unemployment, delinquency and many more disturbing and important issues longing for public attention, the Indian media has been flooded of late with bigotry and frivolous claims over a song controversy in the film ‘Pathaan’. Some Right-wing politicians and religious leaders have demanded that the movie should be banned and boycotted, owing to the saffron-coloured bikini worn by actress Deepika Padukone in the song, Besharam Rang, which, literally, means ‘shameless colour’. The song is accused of disrespecting the colour saffron which they reportedly consider as a symbol of the Sanatan Dharma.

The argument is apparently vague and unnecessary with a clear intention of spreading hatred by the religious appropriation of a universal colour which can be used by people of any community at their own will. The diffusion of cultures by intermingling of various sects and communities is indicative of a historically ‘shared’ Indian culture. Saffron is considered auspicious in many Islamic as well as other religious occasions and practices, hence, it cannot be symbolic of one religion in particular.

These claims represent a narrow and sectarian understanding of religion, as a whole, while reflecting, yet again, a sense of growing intolerance which aims at strengthening communal biases and hate politics.

ALSO READ: ‘Boycott Calls Won’t Work, Nor Will Vulgarity’

This ‘cancel culture’ has become a repetitive phenomenon in recent times, where certain titles, scenes or songs of movies have been called out for hurting the religious sentiments of people. However, in the present case, a female, and her exposed body, is being regarded as ‘obscene’, linking it to the prestige of saffron.

Such statements targeting women’s clothing in today’s world are deplorable and retrograde. Instead, why do we not vent our annoyance for films and songs promoting violence and the objectification of women? Indeed, the dogmatic justifications of meaningless claims are thus filled with bigotry and misogyny in the name of religious sentiments.

This can be seen as an attempt by the Right-wing ultra-nationalists to assert their ideological dominance in every sphere of public life and to impose their opinion by encouraging this forcible pattern of ‘cancel culture’. For this, they tend to choose specific celebrities who are seemingly easy to target based on past controversies.

For instance, no objection was meted out when a BJP supporter danced on a hit Bhojpuri song, wearing saffron robes. But, on the other hand, Shahrukh Khan, being a Muslim celebrity, is targeted for wearing a ‘green’ shirt.

Three years ago, just before the release of her movie Chapaak, Deepika Padukone was defamed as a ‘sympathiser of the Tukde-Tukde Gang’ when all she did was stand in solidarity with JNU students against the violence inflicted upon them by Right-wing masked goons inside the campus. This had barely anything to do with the theme of the film which was based on acid-attack survivors.

Similarly, the movie Pathaan has been dragged into controversy serving no other purpose than feeding the political interests of a particular group of people. In recent times, Indian cinema, always deeply secular and celebrating pluralism, was established with the sole purpose of entertainment while reflecting certain social narratives of contemporary India. It is now being misused as a means of spreading feelings of bitterness and contempt within the masses. We, as a society, need to condemn this practice and look beyond narrow horizons which restrict social harmony.

As told to Amit Sengupta

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Hindutva Gang Hates SRK Because He Represents A Plural India

By LokMarg 27th December 2022

Vyalok, a Lucknow-based film buff and critic, debunks the controversy over Shahrukh-starrer ‘Pathaan’ and raises other problematic issues related to it

The current controversy over the movie song, Besharam Rang, reminds me of an old interview of Shahrukh Khan. The ‘boycott culture’ was not very prevalent then but it was emerging. The interviewer asked King Khan if was afraid of his films drawing boycott calls over sentiment of a particular segment.

Shahrukh, in his typical disarming smile, responded: “I have a lot of admirers in India. Uncountable. You may call it my arrogance but my admirers would outnumber my haters at any point of time. Second, this boycott thing is a good excuse for anyone who makes a bad film and fails at the box office. I know if my film is not good, it will be a flop.”

This is the straightforwardness and confidence of Shahrukh that makes the Hindutva brigade jealous of him. Just look at his stature. Shahrukh is one of the most widely identified Indian actors worldwide. Shahrukh is the brand ambassador of Dubai. He represents India’s composite culture and tolerance. And that is what riles the Hindutva groups. Clearly, vulgarity and saffron robes were not the real reason behind the protest calls; you can dig out far more vulgarity with similar robes all over the Internet and in popular movies.

His measured response in the face of the Pathaan song controversy – when he talked of positivity –speaks volumes of his maturity as a celebrity. Previously too, he has kept himself calm and composed amid controversies related to his family and films. There are many film actors who have pandered to the political powers that be for commercial gains and support but not Shahrukh.

ALSO READ: ‘Boycott Culture Won’t Work, Nor Will Vulgarity’

Having said that, I would like to add that I did find the Besharam Rang song problematic for reasons other than vulgarity. This pertains to the image of Shahrukh. Allow me to quote from another interview of King Khan with TV anchor Rajdeep Sardesai. In that interview, Khan admitted that he was a slave of his image as projected on the silver screen. This is disconcerting. Do we need to ask Shahrukh why is he still carrying on as an actor with a co-actor half his age? SRK is capable of handling the Hindutva brigade and cancel culture, but he must fight his own demons too.

In the said song, In Besharam Rang song, he appears to be an apology for his past self. Vaibhavi Merchant’s choreography is trying too hard but fails to capitalize on the magic Shahrukh-Deepika couple. Must he resort to this nonsense to remain the ‘King of Romance’?

And it is not only about Shahrukh. All Bollywood actors above 55 years of age need to rethink their roles as they age. Hindi writer Nirmal Verma wrote that “aging is a graceful process”. Even Amitabh Bachchan did not understand this point until his company was doomed and he had to reincarnate himself with a white beard in KBC.

Look at Hollywood. Leave Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino, Robert De Nero, etc, and even actors like Bruce Willis, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are choosing roles to suit their age. But here, the Hindi Hero is not ready to come out of his Armani suit and six-pack obsession! And then we raise our eyebrows when just one Hindi film gets listed in the Top-10 list of 2022!

If not Hollywood, our Hindi heroes can look closer home at the South superstar Rajinikanth. When he is not on the screen, he can be seen in a kurta-pajama with a bald head. This is not just his simplicity, it is a statement that Rajini Thalaliva sells dreams on the screen. In real life that façade is off, gracefully.

As told to Abhishek Srivastava

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Boycott Calls Won’t Work, Nor Will Vulgarity In Films

By LokMarg 22nd December 2022

Chandrapal Singh, a filmmaker, says the issue is not about a particular song but a particular clique of filmmakers which intentionally promotes vulgarity in Indian cinema

The recent controversy over ‘Besharam Rang’ song from the movie Pathaan has several aspects. One is vulgarity in Bollywood songs, the second is the boycott call over religious sentiments, and finally the whataboutery by digging out old Bhojpuri songs of several actor-turned-BJP lawmakers. Allow me to examine these aspects from an unbiased standpoint.

On vulgarity, the question is not only about a particular song but about a particular gang, a Bollywood clique, which has been habitual, over the past few decades, ridiculing our culture, music, dance, etc. This specific ‘gang’ of filmmakers is notorious for filming songs with a crude twist or racy outfits merely to gain publicity via ‘hot’ scenes, with sole aim of making money at the cost of falling movie standards.

Most of these movies are being made keeping in mind the younger generation which, the filmmakers presume, does not have any taste or understanding of the social issues, and watches movies only for ‘hotness quotient’. And when a controversial song or scene, released before the movie, makes publicity, good or bad, these filmmakers make merry. This is a cheap tactic to book profits at the box office.

Second, the fate of a film does not only depend on a particular song or a boycott call. If the film has a good storyline and script, it will in all likelihood perform well at the box office. Conversely, even a multi-crore production with mindless or indigestible script does not guarantee a hit.

***Chandrapal (inset) feels some controversies are deliberately generated***

Boycott calls on social media or public forums hardly impact a film. If the audience finds a particular film entertaining or rallies behind a movie star, they will go to theaters irrespective of the hues and cries made over someone’s sentiment. Incidentally, I found Shahrukh Khan’s response to the controversy very laudable and measured.

ALSO READ: ‘Cancel Culture Is The Coronavirus of Bollywood’

As far as concerns being raised about similar acts (of dancing with Bhagwa-clad heroines) with stars like Ravi Kishan, Manoj Tiwari, and Dinesh Lal Yadav (Nirahua), those are things of the past when social media was not so prominent. These leaders are now lawmakers and moved on. The songs, being dug out from the past, are equally ridiculous as the boycott calls from the other side.

Do not expect Shahrukh Khan or Amir Khan fans to ditch them over a boycott call. If the hero has a connection with the masses, he will draw them to theatres. Similarly, if a lawmaker has done well for his constituency, his following will not be affected by the kind of songs he acted in, during his past career.

As an audience or an electorate, people need to make it clear once and for all – that we are not just a herd that will blindly make our choices over a call or a controversy. Things will change when filmmakers catering to us are made to realize the quality of our choice.

As told to Rajat Rai

Read more: http://13.232.95.176/