Yo Yo Honey Singh is no fresher, whether in the music industry or in the world of controversies. Previously he was under the scanner for his song, ‘Main Hoon Balatkari’. However, the latest controversy has arisen out of his newer song Makhna. The song’s lyrics and its videos have been termed as sexist and vulgar by the Punjab State Women Commission. In fact, the process is underway to file a criminal case against Honey Singh.
The Punjab State Women Commission’s Action
In the complaint, the Commission has said that the song has gone viral on social media. Further, the video also has objectionable content. In the complaint to the Additional Chief Secretary, Home, the DGP Punjab and IG, Crime, Punjab, the Chairperson has urged criminal action against the singer.
The Commission has the authority to take such action either upon receipt of a complaint from another person or suo motu. In the present case, the action has been suo motu. The Chairperson, Manisha Gulati, has said, ‘We want that this song be banned and hence we have also raised our objection with the censor board. We cannot allow songs with such obscene words to be allowed to propagate further. We will also meet the state government officials to get the song banned at least from Punjab.
According to The Indian Express the chairperson also said, ‘ If he cannot stop doing this, he should go to some foreign country where all this is allowed.’
The Lyrics
The song’s lyrics are sexist and vulgar in the extreme. As a female, listening to the song, all I could think was one glaring painful fact. As long as songs like this continue to be penned down, produced and be successful numbers, how are we to expect equal treatment of women? How are we to expect respect from men? How are we to expect that men will stop looking at women as sexual objects? If you think I’m exaggerating, let me quote to you one paragraph from the song.
Mein aur mere kalakar
Sab baith ke kare chill
Par main hoon womanizer
Mujhe akele mein mat mill
Silicon wali ladki ko mein, pakadta nahi
Brown girls se mera, dil bharta nahi
Gori gori skin ke liye, mein marta nahi
Kyunki main hoon sher, ghaas charta nahiTu hai patli si naari
Par mera weight ho gaya thoda bhari
Tu hai jaanti mein hu shikaari
Tujhe kha jaaunga saari ki saari
Let me now give you a brief translation of the lyrics.
“My friends I will sit and chill, I am a womanizer, don’t meet me alone. I don’t catch girls in Silicon (presumably silicon breasts). Brown girls (girls with a dark complexion) don’t satisfy me. I don’t care for women with fair skin. I am a tiger and so I don’t eat grass.”
This was just the first paragraph. Yes, the lyrics may seem funny and frivolous. Probably just a guy having fun. But the question is since when has having fun been synonymous with objectification and crude sexual remarks. The man literally says not to meet him alone. Now, why would someone possibly say that, if not to mean that he would otherwise do something unwanted?
No, I do not mean to say that Honey Singh himself is a sexual predator. My point is that when songs like this are made commercial, it makes it okay to classify “brown women” as unworthy. It makes it glamorous for a man to be a “womanizer”.
Sexism in the Industry
Bollywood and the Indian music industry has often been accused of being sexist. The most successful videos usually feature women who are skimpily clad or videos with 10 different shots of parties and alcohol.
Now, I personally am not a big fan of AIB, who shot to fame for their roasts. But this is one video of theirs which I did find very logical. The video takes you through some members from the AIB team approaching Imran Khan to be a part of a video with them. They then point out how the actor has had successful ventures in every aspect of Bollywood, apart from party songs. This is when Imran Khan sings his own version of ‘Party All Night’ in AIB’s ‘Party Song’. The theme of this ‘Party Song’? All it takes to make a successful music video are these few magical ingredients:
- Skimpily dressed women.
- Drinking party-goers.
- Swimming-pool shot (also with skimpy bikini-clad women).
- A rap sequence where the rapper is either surrounded by more skimpily dressed women or is driving around in a luxury car.
Conclusion
In the 21st Century, women continue to struggle for equal treatment. We are still in an age where women are objectified every day and treated as sexual objects for the pleasure of a man.