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I feel so uncomfortable to see family shows like 'Super Dancer' inviting Honey Singh (accused of domestic-violence) & celebs enacting steps of songs like 'Lal Dupatte Wali'!
I feel so uncomfortable to see shows like Super Dancer inviting Honey Singh (accused of domestic-violence) & celebs enacting steps of songs like ‘Lal Dupatte Wali’!
I wonder how such role-models and songs are allowed on ‘family shows’ like Super Dancer. It makes me feel uncomfortable as they are normalizing sexual harassment & violence against women which are crimes!
What message are we sending to the young generation? Commit a crime and get honoured? That harassing women is fun?
Sony Liv’s dance show Super Dancer 4 invited singer Yo Yo Honey Singh as a special guest in this children’s show. His wife Shalini Talwar has filed a domestic violence case against Honey Singh. When Honey Singh was supposed to be present in the court, he gave a medical reason. On the other hand, he was seen dancing to his cringe songs on the dance show.
Small children and their families were present. So if we show such people as role models in front of our children, what will they learn? That you get honoured by committing a crime?
Isn’t this someone’s responsibility? Why doesn’t anyone question the producers or the organisers of this show?
If you watch a few more episodes of the same show – Super Dancer 4, then you will know what kind of content is being given to our younger generation!
An episode of Super Dancer 4 features special guests – Govinda and Chunky Pandey. A clip of this episode is going viral. In this clip, Chunky Pandey and Govinda recreate their iconic song, ‘O Lal Dupatte Wali Tera Naam To Bata…’, along with Shilpa Shetty and Geeta Kapoor.
Of course millions of people are crazy about this song but its lyrics? Do these songs not support harassment? If we watch this song ‘O Lal Dupatte Wali Tera Naam Toh Bata…’, then there is clear sexual harassment (often wrongly referred to as eve-teasing) in it.
Like in the original song, the show has Bollywood stars Govinda and Chunky harass the women and touch them without consent.
So dancing in the same way in front of children on such songs is normalizing the thing that they can tease any woman. Isn’t it?
This is not only one song. These shows have children dance on such double-meaning songs every day. Nowadays, teenagers will be seen making reels on these songs and in the exact same dance style – where pulling a girl’s dupatta, making sexist comments, claiming their right over the female body, etc., are normal. Hardly any of them would know the meaning of consent.
So it would be better if we leave such songs in the ’90s. We do not want the same songs to be recreated in which women have been objectified. And Bollywood should not normalize this in front of the young generation too.
Yes, these songs have a huge impact on kids. Because Bollywood is like god in India. Which is why if a woman walks alone on the road, it’s very common to fall prey to sexual harassment with songs like these. Many times girls feel uncomfortable with the vulgar lyrics but they are unable to say anything because the harassers claim to be just singing these songs.
When my editor asked me to write on this, the first thing that came to my mind were the days when I was in 9th class i.e. 13-14 years old. Drivers used to play FM radio in the school bus and similar cringe songs were played on it.
The drivers sometimes used to look into the rear-view mirror with strange smiles and the senior boys of the school would laugh or tease each other with code words. And I found all this very uncomfortable.
When I said the same thing to my principal, her words were, ‘Shagun, why do you have a problem with everything every now and then. I think it’s in your mindset. Please go and pay attention in your classes.’
Those are some of the songs that give me the exact same uncomfortable feeling and even anxiety… seems strange.
So yes, songs like this have an impact on kids. For harassers, these songs have become a medium or a free pass to which we cannot say anything.
Such role models and songs are getting normalized in front of children. Vulgar and sexist lyrics of these songs have engulfed our mindset.
I really don’t know when and how Bollywood will take their responsibility… but yes, these are issues we should talk about more often.
Image source: Still from the show, Super Dancer 4, YouTube
A strong feminist who believes in the art of weaving words. When she finds the time, she argues with patriarchal people. Her day completes with her me-time journaling and is incomplete without writing 1000 read more...
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