Published 21:57 IST, March 31st 2020
Badshah releases statement after 'Genda Phool' backlash, urges fans to help him; Read here
Ratan Kahar, who is in his 70s and hails from Birbhum in West Bengal, claimed that he wrote the song but never got any recognition for it. Badshah reacts.
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Rapper Badshah's new music video Genda Phool has landed in a credit controversy with Bengali folk artiste Ratan Kahar (who penned/rendered the song originally in 1972) alleging that his lyrics were used in the song without any credit to him. The music video, starring actor Jacqueline Fernandez, is among the top trends on YouTube but a section of social media users have pointed out how the song does not mention Kahar.
Kahar, who is in his 70s and hails from Birbhum in West Bengal, claimed that he wrote the song but never got any recognition for it. His song has been recreated in the past as well. "I am extremely poor. Many people have taken my songs, but have not given me credit. They can't write their own songs. They used my songs as their own. I live in a hut. I write songs of the soil. I don't have the financial strength to drag them to court," Kahar told media.
Releasing a statement in defense, rapper Badshah said that he's been trying to connect with Shri Kahar but due to lockdown situation, he is not able to.
The rapper said, "I want to do everything possible on humanitarian grounds to make this right." Badshah further went live on his Instagram handle and said, "It will be a duty and honour to help an artists like Ratan Kahar."
What did Kahar say?
"The lyrics of this song were written by me and music composition was also mine. But I never got any recognition for the song and it pains me a lot. I am Ratan Kahar, who never got recognized for the song," Kahar told reporters here. The folk artist appealed to the writers and literary personalities to protest against plagiarism.
"There are so many writers and good people around us but nobody protested. Those singing the song don't understand its spirit and ruin its earthiness," he added. Kahar said he first got to know that his song was used in the video after a theatre personality showed the video to him. "I was aghast. Will these things continue?" he asked.
(With PTI inputs)
21:57 IST, March 31st 2020