Unsung. Forgotten.

Music and songs have been one of the pillars of Bollywood.

Movies gaining their share of fame even before hitting the screen is mainly through its songs. 

In fact, a catchy or peppy number has come across as the foremost promotional strategy for movie marketing. 

A lot of times you hear a song and instantly remember the movie, its actors, storyline and related stuff. 

Or at times, you hear a song and it resonates so deeply with you that you develop interest in the movie and its characters too. 

A rising trend these days has been the peppy and loud item numbers that smartly lure listeners into their extremely catching lyrics and tunes which in turn creates popularity for the movie. 

Some recent movies have achieved remarkable success at the box office just by a single catchy and flashy item song. 

Another trend these days are the 'so called raps'. I would rather refer to them as mindless rhyming since they fail to make any sense what so ever. 

Unfortunately these raps and vulgar item numbers are becoming a fad amongst youngsters and every single teenager can be seen going crazy behind it. 

This negative trend is sadly and slowly destroying the complete essence and charm of music. 

The depth and elegance of old Bollywood songs seems to be completely lost. 

In the past, every song that was introduced carried such impeccable depth and meaning to it. 

Each and every verse spoke for itself. The melody, the tune, the words, all of it compelled you to think. 

These songs carried whole stories in them. They had the power to teach you important lessons of life. They had the touch to make you cry. To make you laugh. To make you love. 

The slow rhythms and melodious voices spoke for the power of music.

The songs of olden times have such meanings that still capture ones heart. 

Unfortunate it is that these pearls of music are slowly dying. They are forgotten somewhere in the midst of loud and obscene tunes of today.

Words of depth are crushed by the meaningless bantering. 

I frankly dread at the sight of seeing youngsters blindly singing gibberish lyrics and aping the shallow rappers and singers. 

I do not intend to disrespect anyone's creativity but being creative doesn't mean one plays with other's feelings and totally ignore the social responsibilities.

A few of those who cherish and remember them are almost gone too. 

This era of tangible melody is on the verge of extinction. 

The essence of music is unsung. Unheard. Forgotten. 

It may sounds dramatic but these pearls of wisdom need to be saved. Those who understand their worth need to get them back. They deserve to live forever. From eternity to eternity. Not just in our memories or forgotten lip singing but in our present and future. 

So that we too are not deprived of the pleasures of singing them to our children and grandchildren like our mothers and grandmothers did.

Music has a soul and it should not be killed. 

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Honey Singh, please DON'T sing!

'Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything'.

When Plato said this about music, I am very sure that he would have ignored/excluded or maybe never heard of the 'rap music' specially those which are a fad now a days!

When I first heard a song by Honey Singh joyously being translated (since he generously tosses Punjabi lyrics in them) and appreciated by a friend of mine, a thought that ran instantly through me was - weren't the likes of 50- cents, Jay Z,Big daddy not enough to pollute the minds of youngsters and rob or rather rap(e) music of its melody and meaning that another one has been born?

Little did I know that three years down the line all I would get to hear on radio stations, college parties, marriage halls and from my younger brother are rape(d) songs of dearest 'yo yo'.
 From brown rang to blue eyes, from dope shope to 4 bottle Vodka this guy has left no stone unturned to clog the tender minds with his 'angreji beats and high heels'.

And what infuriates me the most is how these so called chart busters project the females. They are frequently labelled as bitches, bombs, sex objects, deceivers line after line in almost all his songs while the male counterpart is either as coy and innocent as a newly born child or a famous brat every girl should be familiar with and run behind.
In one of the songs he advices a girl to mix limca with her drink while in other he blames girl's high heels for all the durghatna (mishap) that happens between them.

The intensity with which these songs familiarize listeners with drugs, alcohol, sex, rape and abusive language is extremely alarming. And even more terrifying is the fact that most of the listeners lie between the age group of 10-20 years.
Imagine the kind of impact such kind of songs create on a tender boy of 10? No doubt the parents are worried and upset when they hear their bundle of joy singing songs like '4 bottal vodka kaam mera roz ka' or chanting raps with liberal use of vulgar remarks over women'.

Recently, when I expressed my desire to write on how these seemingly amusing and entertaining songs are contaminating the younger generation, my friend immediately retorted 'how could you dislike Honey singh and his songs? He is so amazing. I totally love all his songs'. On hearing such words from a girl whom I expected to me mature and a sensible citizen, I was completely taken aback.

How could she ignore the fact that her amazing Honey Singh was projecting girls like her as a sex symbol? Was she happy about being labelled as a bomb or a drug addict? Didn't calling her eyes, skin, heels, dress as an aphrodisiac and her as a slut offend her? Or maybe she was too engrossed in swaying and jumping on the beats to notice that she is being outrageously insulted?

Undoubtedly every song of Honey Singh is a hit right way because the ease with which teenagers pick it up and their catchy and foot tapping beats makes it viral among the masses. But not all that glitters is gold.
Just because a song or a singer can connect to the masses and make them feel liberated, it should not be blindly appreciated and enjoyed.
It is our duty to understand and differentiate between good and bad. Our reason gifted minds should be trained to adopt what is fruitful and reject the harmful. Even if it is a mere song! 

I am no one to force my opinions on anyone but for me, a song or singer who cannot respect me or any other woman and tries to hurl abuses at me directly or indirectly can't be called as amusing or amazing!

There is no dearth of constructive and positive entertainment around me. 
No dearth of melodious and peppy music
No dearth of songs that can lift up my spirits and create a sense of freedom within me.
And so there is no reason why I must chose to listen to you Mr. Honey Singh.

Honey Singh