“BOLLYWOOD’S ITEM SONGS, AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS WOMEN

Thoughts on Superhit ‘Bollywood’ “ITEM SONG”: ‘FEVICOL SE’ , from 2012’s Blockbuster Film: Dabangg 2, which has gems like “Main to tandoori murgi hoon yaar, Gatkaa le saiyyan alcohol se…O yea!” (I’m a Tandoori/Baked in Earthen Oven Chicken; lover, gobble me up with alcohol)

Rs ♀ — ✇ — ♀ Rs

very obviously large part of India’s populace, esply the men are impaired by ingrained patriarchy, misogyny and the dump of macho bull; these are the guys ogling, groping, molesting and worse, oft perps of VAW, domestic violence; damaging public property during protests; littering, ‘scratching’, spitting, urinating openly…..

Now, any form of commerce or commercial art – not overseen, ‘regulated’ effectively, honestly – can make lots of profits by pandering to, gratifying these corrupted machoman instincts . It can be in the form of a product advert, film song or scene, or the whole film itself to selling cars!…… In effect these unethical ‘products’ & proposals legitimize the lewd & depraved thinking, including on women, and the control seeking, oft violent & criminal behavior therein.

That’s what the ‘Fevicol se’ “song” does, and sure enough this otherwise well composed ‘Item No’, and its ‘Lyrics’, with great moves by Kareena got hugely popular, and helped in increasing the film’s overall buzz and then revenues, in the process, making lots of money for everybody involved, from Producers to Sponsors.

Apart from glaring lack of self regulation, other disheartening aspects of this “song” are that it was a prominent part of a film created by an important ‘Bollywood’ film family, of superstar Salman Khan, and the “song” was sponsored by a leader of Indian Industry via a top Advertising Co, with brilliant creatives, writers; all of whom, for commercial self interests, were in denial of lyrics’ so obvious inappropriate, regressive thought process in the form of words, which in effect blatantly endorses and encourages the pathetic stereotype of treating women as objects, pieces of meat.

That said, right since its inception 100 years ago, the Indian Film Industry, legitimately funded ‘Bollywood’ & others have done more than their bit for Equality and Empowerment, making it cool in many films and creating awareness, changing attitudes outside of films too.

Over the past few years, and particularly since the infamous Delhi Rape (of Dec, 2012) and subsequent protests the Industry have become more sensitive to these critical Women and Gender issues. For instance Priyanka Chopra recently insisted on first perusing and approving the lyrics of her ‘Item No’ in a big Film, a move applauded by all activists, including Shabana Azmi (with whom the actor had had a disagreement over the subject earlier).

Though they have brought about a lot of it, mostly good, Social Change is not the Indian Film Makers’ job, but alongside Integrity of work needs to be always paramount: regulated by self or/and otherwise, the Indian Film Fraternity, and their associates (in funding, promotion, distribution, exhibition…) can do more in ensuring that no aspect of their Art are compromised, exploited for seeking unethical, illegit popularity and profits, feeding off and legitimizing India’s many social ills.

Chipkale Saiyan Fevicol Se Dabangg 2 Lyrics, with Translation

My email: sunjay.jk@gmail.com