Ruchika Uniyal (THE TIMES OF INDIA; March 4, 2020)

New Delhi: The coronavirus scare may have hit many businesses hard, but for the Bhojpuri music industry, it’s providing grist for more songs and videos. Scores of melodies — from suggestive to devotional — on Covid-19 can now be found online, with some garnering lakhs of views.

The songs feature both established singers and amateurs belting out sexist, and often racist, tunes. Many are replete with misinformation; one song says ice-cream and cold drink can raise coronavirus risk. Another urges PM Narendra Modi to “do something about the virus since injections and medicines are ineffective”. A third implores gods to save Indians from the outbreak while dishing out “home remedies” such as drinking water boiled with garlic.

Om Kumar, in whose Gorakhpur studio one such tune was recorded, told TOI: “Every time something important occurs, I try to push out a song on it. The idea behind this one was to bring advice from experts to people so they know how to stay safe.”

While many of these songs are audio only, with still images of skimpily-clad women and coronavirus pathogens pasted on screen, a few have random shots of people in China wearing masks. One song’s poster declares — ‘Maut se bachna hai to zarur sune (If you want to live, you must listen to this)’.

The “buzz” around Covid-19 has inspired some newbies to take the plunge. Deoria-based Govind Barbar has switched from singing deshbhakti songs to the more topical issue of coronavirus. He recently shelled out Rs 4,000 to get ‘Corona lehenga ma’ penned by Kamlesh Bedardi recorded in a studio. “Everyone is talking about coronavirus, that’s why I wrote a song on it,” he told TOI. Barbar insisted the song — which seems to warn women that they are likely to get the infection if they wear skimpy clothes — promotes “sanskar”.

At least three other songs have references to coronavirus “invading” lehengas (skirts) and choli (blouses), including one by Guddu Rangila, which has 3 lakh views. Two of them are constructed around Holi, with one song lamenting that bhabhi — a figure often sexualised in Indian pop culture — can’t play colours with her husband or devar (brother-in-law) this year since her lehenga is infected with coronavirus.

Another song ‘Hello Kaun, Coronavirus’ by Khushboo Uttam and Praveen Uttam has nearly 1 lakh views. In between coughing and sneezing fits, a man who recently returned from China is begging his girlfriend to meet him. She then asks him, “What gift did you get me from China? Coronavirus?” She then proceeds to question whether “he ate snakes and bats while he was there”. The man placates her by saying the virus, like all made-in-China things, “won’t last long”.

Some netizens aren’t impressed. Many comments on the videos have urged singers to stop making fun of a public health emergency.

Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; March 13, 2014)

Nitin Chandra, who is currently working on a film starring Manoj Bajpayee and Naseeruddin Shah, has filed a petition against a private radio channel based in Patna. It seems that the channel only plays Hindi film songs and has no room for Bhojpuri and Maithili songs. Nitin argues that most channels in West Bengal and in South India make it a point to play songs in their regional language. “I had requested this Patna-based channel to host a special programme where they could play Bhojpuri songs. However, they replied that the songs are a tad explicit and thus, can’t be played on the channel. This reply reeks of hypocrisy as they continue to play Hindi songs featuring sleazy lyrics. In fact, all neighbouring states play local songs except Bihar. Also, it is not correct to label all Bhojpuri songs vulgar,” he emphasises.

The producer has now visited the offices of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in a bid to sort out the matter. “The I& B Ministry has taken up the matter with this radio channel. I have been told that as per government rules, it is mandatory for radio channels to encourage local artistes,” he says.

He adds that with radio channels not doing their bit to support regional music, it has become difficult for producers like to him to get distributors’ backing. “My film Desva has travelled to several film festivals, including the Goa Film Festival. I had also roped in the likes of Sonu Nigam, Sunidhi Chauhan and Swananad Kirkire to work on the film’s songs. But till date, I have not been able to release the film.
Now if these channels were to play my film’s songs, both the film and its music would get their due,” he points out.