Nikhil Kulkarni

You still remember Yo Yo Honey Singh and the whole drama about his songs, no? I ask because in this age of Twitter & Facebook, public memory outrages are terribly short-lived and I thought it would be a good idea to refresh your memory while we talk about Yo Yo Honey Singh. Of course, the small, yet artificially magnified world of Twitter and Facebook has moved on to find other things  people# to outrage about, granting our man Yo Yo Honey Singh some much needed respite from facing the music.

I have promised myself that I will not write/talk about the Delhi gang rape case and hence won’t delve into pontificate over how (if at all) misogynist lyrics by artists like Honey Singh lead to heinous crimes like rape. I find the whole commentary and opinion dishing on Twitter and Facebook too preachy for my comfort and will stay away from talking about it. Rather, this post is about how I got introduced to Yo Yo Honey Singh and how I found his kind of music quite interesting to listen to.

Chances are that you may not have heard of this movie called Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana.

Fair enough, you may have caught some promos on TV and know that such a move exists. But I’m sure you’ve not heard songs from this movie. If you have, it has to be because you are a fellow Amit Trivedi fan! Amit Trivedi has had a fantastic year as a Music Director with soundtracks like Ek Main Aur Ek Tu, Ishaqzaade, Aiyya, Ishaqzaade and LSTCK. Isn’t it amazing that Amit has not only been come up with these soundtracks in such a short period of time, but also that each of these soundtracks is as diverse as they can get. Alright, I am digressing. Back to Honey Singh, but no running away from Amit Trivedi either! One of my favourite songs in LSTCK of all songs in 2012 is a song called Kikli Kalerdi. You’d have probably caught lines from it during the promos. Sung by Amit Trivedi himself with Pinky Maidasani and rapping(?) by Honey Singh, the song has a quite a playful and naughty tone to it. May I request you spare the next 2 minutes and 11 seconds and watch the video:

Now you see, Ok, you’ve already seen and heard. If you paid some attention, you’d have listened to the section with the rapping by Honey Singh. In case you didn’t catch the lyrics, here are the lines from Honey Singh’s rapping (underlined sections my emphasis):

Zindagi Ka Maksad Hai Mera Bas Kudiya Patana
Kaale Sheeshe Wali Gaadi Me Unko Ghumana
Koshish Nahi Main Karta
Ladki Pat Jaati Hai Khud Ba Khud
Thoda Sa Style Hai Baby
Baaki Skill Hai Touchwood..
Main Pujari Joban Ka Ban Jaaonga Ek Din Jogi
Kitne Time Se Tere Pichhe Muuaah
Killas Maal Hai Baby Kalli Kahin Tu Mujhko Mil
Agar Ho Koi Anhoni To Tu Khaliyo Pill..
Main Tera Raja Hoon Tu Meri Rani Hai
Baby Suraksha Hi Saavdhani Hai..(x2)

Now please go ahead and listen to the song with some extra attention to the lines in the rap. Depending on how you look at these, these can appear playful & naughty or so outrageous that your pure, soft, unadulterated conscience takes tonnes of offence to this. I, for one, found it quite enjoyable. Especially this line – Main Tera Raja Hoon Tu Meri Rani Hai, Baby Suraksha Hi Saavdhani Hai. More than anything outrageous, this is a public service message I say!

While I read somewhere that Honey Singh’s songs are quite indeed quite provocative, but that they also are hugely popular among the youth in Punjab. Of course, how else will an artist be popular if there are  not takers for his music? And the takers for Honey Singh’s provocative music, the youth of Punjab are busy with something even more provocative – drugs. Now sample these:

75% of the youth. Every third student. 65% of all families in Punjab are in the throes of a sweeping drug addiction. With little or no hope in sight. –  Tehelka

The lost generation: Punjab’s gargantuan drug problem – Firstpost

And what great earth-shattering point am I trying to make by bringing Punjab’s drug problem while discussing about Honey Singh? That no one bothers about real issues and everyone talks about what’s within bash-able distance and move on to bash on the next thing/person.

That brings us to another person who everyone loves to hate – Himesh Reshammiya.  And Mr. Yo Yo features in a song in Himesh’s recent soundtrack – Khiladi 786. In this video, you can not only listen to Honey Singh, but also see the man himself.

Again, this is a fun song. Honestly, Honey Singh brings in a new kind of voice/music into Bollywood. But it doesn’t matter, for Yo Yo Honey Singh is now responsible for all the crimes against women. What nonsense! I choose to listen to what I like and calls for ban/boycott of artists is something that I’m absolutely not in agreement with.

# The whole brouhaha over some remarks made by the RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat is a prime example of how instant outrage manufacturing and jumping the gun without proper verification of facts has turned Twitter into one noisy, messy place. Read this to know how character assassination, especially of anything/anyone related to the right wing has become the norm among the mainstream media.

* Kikli Kalerdi is a game similar to ‘Ringa Rings Roses’ which young Punjabi girls play. The Kilki Kalerdi in the title was meant to be used in the same vein as ‘Kolaveri’ to ask ‘why this Kolaveri’ over Yo Yo Honey Singh. I’ll pat myself on the back if you got the connection. No worries if you didn’t and had to read the footnote at the bottom of the post to get it. It only confirms what I know very well – that my writing sucks and I still have miles to go before I get any better at writing. However, I only have a few steps to walk to get to my bed to sleep!