When, sitting in her dingy, cramped quarters in Muzaffarpur's Chaturbhuj Sthaan, famed courtesan Munnibai penned and sang the bawdy composition Launda badnaam hua Naseeban tere liye, she could scarcely have imagined that one day a brazen rip-off of her composition would catch the nation's imagination. And how!
She would also never have imagined that the people would bowdlerise raunchy the ditty and throw her own name into the mix. Decades later, standing amid the madding crowd at an election rally just a furlong from Chaturbhuj Sthaan, one can hear the rip-off and the rip-off of that rip-off blaring from out-of-sync CD players. From Muzaffarpur to Mumbai and back to Muzaffarpur, life has indeed come full circle for Munnibai.
Unmindful of its history and the intended irony, some listless policemen are seeking some excitement. For the last two hours, they have been treated to old patriotic songs and are clearly not amused. The man they, and the madding crowd, are waiting for is none other than Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi. Over-enthusiastic sycophants, probably the only species that is not endangered, shouted slogans every now and then. A few street dogs mill around the place. It appears these canines aren't aware of the modus operandi of “the greatest festival of democracy”. Chances are, most of them were not born when the last time it was held. Boredom hung heavy in the air.
Suddenly, the campaign SUV of an influential Independent candidate comes to a screeching halt. Its Xplod speakers and Blaupunkt music system are in overdrive. The song? You've guessed it, Munni badnam hui. The policemen leap to their feet and try to match their steps with those of Salman Khan's. The paunch restricts their performance drastically. But clearly, the unknown face with an unknown election symbol has managed to catch their attention with a tawdry rip-off – what the supporters of the Gandhi-Nehru scion could not do with their patriotic songs. Welcome to Munni's own Bihar.
Munni badnaam hui is indeed the flavour of the season. Every party worth its salt, Independents included, have made parodies of this rendition to woo the electorate. Parodies have always been used here; but clearly they are the most potent tools this time around. The strict expenditure norms imposed by the Election Commission had clearly taken the lustre out of the campaign. Free liquor and non-veg feasts are on their way out and so are posters, cut-outs, banners and insignias. When it appeared that the traditional campaign was on its way to the ICU, Munni, the arch-angel of rustic pop-dom, intervened. Bihar is anything but a monolith. The agenda, inspiration, priorities, differ from region to region. The only shashwat satya, universal truth, is that Munni is badnaam everywhere.
A national leader concedes, “One has to read the pulse of the people. It is all market.” The Leftists can keep distributing their boring manifesto pamphlets. The mainstream is riding hard on Munni. No intended pun here.
The pedigree of the song is such that you can fit any lyrics on it, it can never be even remotely as bawdy as the original. Performed during Launda naach prior to a marriage, the Hindi heartland equivalent of a bachelor's party, the song describes sexual union by using household objects and kitchenware as rough and ready metaphors. It is not a “double meaning” song. It means just one thing.
Braj Bihari Mishra, a veteran of election parodies for 15 years, says, “No song ever caught the people's imagination like this. It is the first choice for every candidate. Lots of them come with already penned lyrics. If Munni decides to fight today, everybody will lose their deposit.”
Such is its impact that JD(U), which tried to keep a respectable distance from the song, lost its guts when candidates of the rival RJD came up with their version. The Chatth numbers and patriotic songs were soon discarded. Munni was ushered in with fanfare. And guess what, she has the party swaying.
Sitting in his recording studio in Patna's Dariapur Gola, Pradeep Gupta does not know what hit him. His studio is cutting 10 CDs every day on an average. He has prepared a catalogue of 50 popular Bhojpuri and Hindi songs that he shows to every prospective customer. Here, too, Munni gets special treatment. Every CD has 4-8 renditions punctuated at regular intervals by rhetoric and shayeri. Pradeep says, “While preparing the songs, we give preference to the latest hits. This catalogue of mine is now a complete waste. It's of no use anymore. Munni has vanquished everybody hands down.”
And mind you, Munni is certainly not without merit. The metre of the song is so tight that it is easy to spin out its parody. The tune, with due respect to the original composer, is also pretty catchy and, as the entire nation has discovered, foot-tapping. There are other lesser mortals in the fray too. Mehengayi dayan (from the Aamir Khan-produced film, Peepli Live) is a popular song for the opposition parties everywhere. NDA is naturally wary of it here in Bihar,” adds Gupta.
Another popular Bhojpuri composition, Tu lagawelu jab lipstick is also a mega hit with the poll candidates. It has been adapted in every language from Angika to Maithili. A sexist rendition that equates parts of the female anatomy with desserts and beverages, the song is a first choice for female candidates.
But between Munni and Lipstick, there are some surprise entries. Welcome break is provided by, hold your breath, Mirza Ghalib and Meer Taqi Meer. One particular Meer couplet talking about communal harmony has all-rounder status.
Since the candidates do not have much to say to the electorate on real development issues and visionary politics, the old, time-tested lines of Meer and Ghalib come in handy as fillers. These fillers are necessary to break the mundane monotone talking about candidate's biographies.
The singers, musicians, lyricists and sound recordists; everybody is making merry. Who said capital does not trickle down in India?
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She would also never have imagined that the people would bowdlerise raunchy the ditty and throw her own name into the mix. Decades later, standing amid the madding crowd at an election rally just a furlong from Chaturbhuj Sthaan, one can hear the rip-off and the rip-off of that rip-off blaring from out-of-sync CD players. From Muzaffarpur to Mumbai and back to Muzaffarpur, life has indeed come full circle for Munnibai.
Unmindful of its history and the intended irony, some listless policemen are seeking some excitement. For the last two hours, they have been treated to old patriotic songs and are clearly not amused. The man they, and the madding crowd, are waiting for is none other than Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi. Over-enthusiastic sycophants, probably the only species that is not endangered, shouted slogans every now and then. A few street dogs mill around the place. It appears these canines aren't aware of the modus operandi of “the greatest festival of democracy”. Chances are, most of them were not born when the last time it was held. Boredom hung heavy in the air.
Suddenly, the campaign SUV of an influential Independent candidate comes to a screeching halt. Its Xplod speakers and Blaupunkt music system are in overdrive. The song? You've guessed it, Munni badnam hui. The policemen leap to their feet and try to match their steps with those of Salman Khan's. The paunch restricts their performance drastically. But clearly, the unknown face with an unknown election symbol has managed to catch their attention with a tawdry rip-off – what the supporters of the Gandhi-Nehru scion could not do with their patriotic songs. Welcome to Munni's own Bihar.
Munni badnaam hui is indeed the flavour of the season. Every party worth its salt, Independents included, have made parodies of this rendition to woo the electorate. Parodies have always been used here; but clearly they are the most potent tools this time around. The strict expenditure norms imposed by the Election Commission had clearly taken the lustre out of the campaign. Free liquor and non-veg feasts are on their way out and so are posters, cut-outs, banners and insignias. When it appeared that the traditional campaign was on its way to the ICU, Munni, the arch-angel of rustic pop-dom, intervened. Bihar is anything but a monolith. The agenda, inspiration, priorities, differ from region to region. The only shashwat satya, universal truth, is that Munni is badnaam everywhere.
A national leader concedes, “One has to read the pulse of the people. It is all market.” The Leftists can keep distributing their boring manifesto pamphlets. The mainstream is riding hard on Munni. No intended pun here.
The pedigree of the song is such that you can fit any lyrics on it, it can never be even remotely as bawdy as the original. Performed during Launda naach prior to a marriage, the Hindi heartland equivalent of a bachelor's party, the song describes sexual union by using household objects and kitchenware as rough and ready metaphors. It is not a “double meaning” song. It means just one thing.
Braj Bihari Mishra, a veteran of election parodies for 15 years, says, “No song ever caught the people's imagination like this. It is the first choice for every candidate. Lots of them come with already penned lyrics. If Munni decides to fight today, everybody will lose their deposit.”
Such is its impact that JD(U), which tried to keep a respectable distance from the song, lost its guts when candidates of the rival RJD came up with their version. The Chatth numbers and patriotic songs were soon discarded. Munni was ushered in with fanfare. And guess what, she has the party swaying.
Sitting in his recording studio in Patna's Dariapur Gola, Pradeep Gupta does not know what hit him. His studio is cutting 10 CDs every day on an average. He has prepared a catalogue of 50 popular Bhojpuri and Hindi songs that he shows to every prospective customer. Here, too, Munni gets special treatment. Every CD has 4-8 renditions punctuated at regular intervals by rhetoric and shayeri. Pradeep says, “While preparing the songs, we give preference to the latest hits. This catalogue of mine is now a complete waste. It's of no use anymore. Munni has vanquished everybody hands down.”
And mind you, Munni is certainly not without merit. The metre of the song is so tight that it is easy to spin out its parody. The tune, with due respect to the original composer, is also pretty catchy and, as the entire nation has discovered, foot-tapping. There are other lesser mortals in the fray too. Mehengayi dayan (from the Aamir Khan-produced film, Peepli Live) is a popular song for the opposition parties everywhere. NDA is naturally wary of it here in Bihar,” adds Gupta.
Another popular Bhojpuri composition, Tu lagawelu jab lipstick is also a mega hit with the poll candidates. It has been adapted in every language from Angika to Maithili. A sexist rendition that equates parts of the female anatomy with desserts and beverages, the song is a first choice for female candidates.
But between Munni and Lipstick, there are some surprise entries. Welcome break is provided by, hold your breath, Mirza Ghalib and Meer Taqi Meer. One particular Meer couplet talking about communal harmony has all-rounder status.
Since the candidates do not have much to say to the electorate on real development issues and visionary politics, the old, time-tested lines of Meer and Ghalib come in handy as fillers. These fillers are necessary to break the mundane monotone talking about candidate's biographies.
The singers, musicians, lyricists and sound recordists; everybody is making merry. Who said capital does not trickle down in India?
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
ABN AMRO seeks India bank licence
IIPM announces Anna Hazare Fellowship
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp
Mobile application for Nokia phones is launched by The Times of India
Watching porn video is not a crime
Why your wife or girlfriend seems "off sex" of late?
Domestic violence has been a silent relationship killer since time immemorial.
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
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