Munni Badnam-Sheela ki Jawani Chadhi Parwan

December 3, 2010
Warning : Adults Stuff, Kids stay away please

Eeeeks! I was feeling so yucky typing those words there.  Don't they sound like some C-grade movie title?  Not that I have ever seen such a movie or would like to see one, but who has not read those names on jarring posters in small towns and who has not heard about them?  I thought it made people make dirty faces listening to these crass songs.  But I was wrong.  "Sheela ki jawani" is a hit with the discotheques in Delhi!!  FM radio stations are asking Delhites what do they prefer Badnam Munni or Jawan Sheela!! Oh I am disgusted with all this.

Let me tell the readers, who do not know what I am talking about.  Bollywood is abuzz with this item dance number featuring Katrina Kaif with the name 'sheela is jawani'.  And in the recent past, it was another actress(?) Malaika Arora Khan who danced with pride on 'Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye'.

I was not really perturbed when Malaika danced to Munni Badnam Hui - it was expected from her.  With only the item numbers in her kitty, she would have grabbed this opportunity like a hungry cat to gyrate with those uncouth looking men flirting around with his brother in law in real life, Salman Khan.  It was just expected of her.  Moreover, the setting of the place was rural and although I have never really lived in a village, but it seems nautanki (an Indian art form of drama) is still alive and nach- gaana (dance and songs)still is the source of entertainment.  So, it was digestible for me.

Now comes, this song - Sheela ki jawani, (I can't believe I am writing about all this crap). Although, I have kept myself away from such masala movies, serving a stupid old story with a tadka of jhatka and matka and the sizzler of the one man army our heroes become, but hufffff, I have to write about this one.  Katrina Kaif really did not require to do this item number, but now when she has done it, let me blurt out what I have say about this song and the dance and the costumes (were there any?!)

Here enters our (i mean, you guys') heartthrob, strategically covered in a pink satin sheet (ah, the ultimate in fantasy!) and holding it just the right way, hiding some showing some, with those guys declaring that now she is the fountain of youth - declaring that now she has become 'jawan' (young) now.  Isn't that disgusting when some one sings or even talks a thing like that?? After this Sheela gets into various avatars - take your pick boys.  Once she is in the belle dancer's costume and the next time she forgets her trousers but knows how to don that hat, and what is the role of an untied tie over there? some clue? yeah, to play some *** game girl!

I am really upset with this.  No, not because one of the top actress wants to degrade herself like this but because this song, like any other bollywood song takes the place in all the music channels, entertainment channels on TV and radio.  The song with those crass lyrics are being doled out to all and sundry.

Does someone even for a moment think about the teenagers? Teenaged boys and girls who still happen to live with their families in our country.  A sheela on the TV screen goes galloping, vibrating her body from top to bottom, screaming out loud that this delectable item is beyond your reach you boy, and we watch it as a family.  The father seems to enjoy a bit, but is visibly conscious.  The mother is shocked and still,  looking at the visuals, the son smirks at his mom, smiles a little naughtily, the daughter is embarrassed. Finally the mother snatches the remote and changes the channel.  Why are we being served such stuff on family channels and family time ie 8pm to 10 pm??

Does it not affect anybody, right from the makers of the movie, writers of the song, the actors, the people who are putting such stuff on prime time? Just nobody bothers about our children??

I am not saying Censor Board of India should be more vigilant or strict.  It must be the choice of an ADULT to decide what he or she wants to watch, or listen or read.  And it's absolutely alright to have access to material which is erotic in nature but does enrich your knowledge about the topic.  This is the land of Kamasutra.  We should not be shy about knowing the facts and the art of something which is the basic instinct of man.  It's human to be curious, even sexually.  And boys, here I am not talking about ppornography, for that in my opinion is just a way of misleading people and creating a false image about sex. I will write about it separately in a post.

Crimes against women are rampant.  Delhi is being called the crime capital.  Cases of rape, molestation are getting piled up.  It took 300 officers and men of police force to nab the 3-4 rapists, who gangraped a call centre executive at Daula Kuan area of New Delhi.  Will they get any punishment, we do not know??

What we know is that media has a role to play.  What is know is that the poor ratio of male and female population is showing it colours, it had been showing, but now we seem to realise it and accept it.  If the number of females would go less, obviously the males who are getting nobody to have an intimate relationship with, would get frustrated.  There are bound to be more crimes towards women, sexual crimes, I mean.  If you see, many a times, it is the men of adjoining states, of small towns and villages who are getting into such crimes.  The boys and men of the city are also no less. Lack of employment opportunities, and a huge population again makes things worse for them.

Are our movies justified in tempting the rickshaw pullers, street vendors kind of people (with  no disrespect to any profession) by playing such songs and dance.  Yes, I name them here because the class of society they are addressing is them only.  (Ever heard a city girl with the name 'Sheela'??  For God's sake - my great grandmother's name is Sheela!!)  There had been many vulgar songs before this, but a lead actress, who first made a place in the industry and the people's heart with her cute, innocent ways, has even done such a crass, dirty and third class song is what makes me so angry.  Money buys everything huh?!

It was madhuri dixit, who did 'choli ke peeche kya hai?' But if you see the answer negates all your dirty thoughts, when she says 'choli mein dil hai mera'. (Although it was too a very suggestive song at that time, but my kids had not grown up for me to feel so angry, I guess).  Coming back to sheela song, if you have heard the song properly, it suggests... well..... self gratification.  Wow, the great lyricists that we have, why should boys have all the fun ha? why 'apna haath jaganath' for men ha? why not pull women into it ha? It's shameful.  It's shocking how the standards of decency are going down in the art of our times.  Art is a reflection of our society.  Is our society... our youngsters too getting this crass?? I ask this to the youngsters who read this post. 

As an art form, I am not against nudity in paintings or sculpture.  As long as the beauty of human body can be portrayed in an aesthetic manner, it is beautiful.  It's the celebration of life and beauty.  But as soon as the posture changes, it becomes animalistic, raw and in bad taste.

I sincerely wish, somebody out there reads my post and understands how movies and TV are misleading our youth, titillating their senses, teasing them, making them animals.  At least leave the prime time of TV, spare our children from this unnecessary exposure to vulgarity.  Let them grow up and have their share of fun later, not in their early teens at least.

What do you feel about it as a youngster, as a teenager, as a mother or a father? How do you see the degradation of the quality of songs? Especially the elderly must be really feeling bad, and missing those golden songs.  Do let me know what you think about it.


RESTLESS

46 comments:

Always Happy said...

I was just talking about this song 'sheela ki jawwani' to my friend yday and here I read your post today..totally totally agree with you...it is disgusting to see such a song. I am very much diappointed wth Katrina too. Also, like you said, filmakers are targetting people like street vendors, rickshaw waallas who are more likely than rest of the public to get involved in acts of rape, molestation, ever teasing etc..

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

quite thoughtful of you. For the people out there, money matters. But then, they have also given you the remote control.
People say that bollywood is following hollywood. I don't think so, because if it had been so, songs in the movies would have been done away with long time ago.
The lyrics are crappy, everyone is admit. Even the ones who dance to its tunes and sing along. Its a rage these days and we cannot help it.

Jack said...

Restless,

A very hard hitting and factual post. If you go back a few years you will remember how hero teased or rather eve-teased heroine while in college singing songs, doing jhatkas, pushing & pulling and all. Don't you think that made an impressions on young minds that it was the way to woo a girl? I could even name some titles of movies or songs of even 1950s or 1960s which were openly double meaning. They make movies to make money and that is possible only if more people see the movie. So why should they not try to attract audience by whatever way it can be done? They are not making moralistic movies. Why should they bother what effect it has on our values? There are so many serials which need to be given serious thoughts, not only ones which were in news but many more portraying negative thoughts.

Take care

Prateek Bagri said...

You echoed my thoughts. The names of the song itself reflects the sense of C Grade movie. Yes, it does happen during the family time Sheela comes out to flaunt her Jawani. I'm younger than her statically shouldn't I flaunt myself more than her, at least in a well body covered attires. Plus lyrics, who in the world wrote that absurdity?!? Dance - Farah Khan who herself cannot perform such bending movements choreographed this item song. Can you believe this? Moreover this item song seems to be a perpetual phenomenon.

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

Always happy - happy to know you think like me and agree with me! tc

BA - so true, but yes, we have the remote, but have to play fastest finger first with it! Bollywood is a genre of its own, can't compare with Hollywood actually.

Jack - well said! but double meaning songs or dialogues are not understood by the kids so easily (although I am beginning to hate comedy circus for this) but such open words, they are simply taking us down the drain.

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

Prateek - I really enjoyed ur comment!! LOL @ farha khan!! True, its disgusting if we are enjoying such music and such lyrics.

thanks

RESTLESS

Anonymous said...

Once...Rajiv Gandhi was the PrimeMinister, (he happened to be the Minister for Information and Broadcasting too)then, Sushma Swaraj, the torchbearer of Indian Morality and culture, took up an issue in parliament during the question hour on a tv programme on doordarshan (which we used to know by the name of chitrahaar) and about the obscene song and dance sequences and was asking the I&B Minister to stop the programme.

Rajiv Gandhi's being the I&B Head - simple reply was 'Every TV set is provided with an On/Off Mechanism, and the Hon'ble Member of Parliament can make use of the facility given to her".

Anonymous said...

coming to the issue of rapists and the news item of 380 policemen on a operation to nab the culprits of the gang rape case, i took the news with a pinch of salt.

The operation itself was covert in nature, and it was not done inside their den (Mewat or whatever the village was called). it was done in another place that too clandestinely. so why would 380 policemen would go to nab two people, if their intelligence was so strong????

also, the evidences against these gang was not that convincing. Just by the fold of a currency note and and insignia of M in a truck is evidence not enough to arrest a gang of people.

Snow Leopard said...

I usually stay away from music channels on the idiot box...because frankly I have not enjoyed the latest songs. But I did manage to listen to Munni, thanks to the DJs at varous functions in Delhi(you know how loudly they play). But I haven't heard(2 lines not more) or watched Sheela. Would watch it today to know what it is all about.
But I agree about children being corrupt. I went to someone's house recently where the two 8 year old grand-daughters were singing two lines of Sheela in front of their Grandmother. Incidently the old ladies name was Sheela and they were teasing her. But their mother came and gave them a sound scolding.
Indian movies and entertainment have become quite unimaginative. That is all I would say.

Alka Gurha said...

U hv echoed my thoughts..The distinction between C grade movies and mainstream cinema has blurred. No one cares abt sensitivity, social impact or aesthetics...its all abt money. Katrina and Farah both hv degraded women exactly the way, Subhash Ghai did.
When we have women degrading women who needs men?

Jack said...

Restless,

I forgot, what about ads being aired repeatedly which are very suggestive? And not on music channels like V or MTV but even on news channels. Believe you me kids understand more than what we think they do.

Take care

NG said...

You assume too much. Don't.

Stop judging things/people on your own value system which may be very different from that of others.

Harish P I said...

only good thing about such songs is that it makes us appreciate and long for good songs.

NG said...

Thanks restless for visiting & commenting on my blog. :)

I sure like the song but what I wrote here had nothing to do with my choice.

I am a music enthusiast myself and my range of interest covers wide variety of things ranging from rap to folk & Sufi rock.

However, I felt annoyed with the way people are judging personal choices, tastes & "mentality" of completely random people & imposing their own.

Wishes,

Nikhil

Vivek said...

Hi,
Hmm Yes , by this I was also shocked to see , But the Answer to it lies in our side only i.e its we as the viewers who are responsible for all these Vulgar Item No's that ppl can't watch with family simply means are Movie can't be watched with family , well was this the demand of the script or just a way to attention or promoting the movie , which seems very poor.
Looking @ the current reality shows they are full of abuses ..I'm shocked how they are running in prime time i.e before 11 PM.
Though there has been a directive issued for 2 shows one shifted one still running on 9 PM slot , it purely reflect its all about money ..which has taken higher priority than what is appropriate and whats not.
And for all this All medias plays a important role , they need also a directive given to show news that's in the right spirit.

Rest it is also depends on us as the viewer to what we looking for.

Thanks for showing some lights over it.


With Love,
Vivek
---------

S said...

No point criticising the lyricist, the singers, actors or anyone related to such songs/movies. I don't deny such songs are obscene but the people related to the film industry are in way doing it for a social cause and they are in to business and they would eventually want money out of what they do!

I am in no way favoring such things, but I am no way against it too; after all it's just not the movie industry who is polluting; everybody contributes to it as much or more. Tell me don't children see people smoking in public; isn't that bad? So, instead of stopping them we should educate innocent minds against all that crap :)

Neeha said...

Even I was astounded when I saw that it was Katrina but not any item girl.
The song is titled as 'ITEM SONG OF THE YEAR'.But,frankly that song didn't bother me much,it's known fact money buys everything.
But when you mention that in art form you are not against nudity,I appreciate you coz many still are against such paintings...They never understand the basic thing that the painting is just portraying wat is reality..
Take care

Aditya Kasavaraju said...

Completely understand the frustration. Sheela song, first of all is bad, kaif doesn't even look sexy and it isn't even popular but I hate the way media project it as the biggest hit of the year or as the hottest song of the year even before the song got released. Whats worse was, almost from a year or so, the print media was claiming the song to be the most awaited song of the year-nothing but bullshit. Paid advertising and nothing else. That song is bad.Period.

zephyr said...

Call me old fashioned and a dinosaur, but I have always been against anything unfit for children being aired, including ads. And women not only do it for money, Restless. There is an increasing number of them wanting liberation including sexual liberation. So what is wrong if they dance to a song that wants self gratification for them, eh?

Pardon my tone. But this topic makes me MAD and the media sucks big time.

There is only so much we can do to protest our children from trash, it has to be community responsibility. Like you yourself have admitted, the song from Tezaab had not bothered you so much since you didn't have small children back then. I had. We as viewes and listeners only react when it affects us. We are equally to blame -- collectively.

*conditions apply said...

first you watch Big Boss and Silicon Boobs ka insaaf with your 6 year olds and then expect them to grow up and fight against sheela ki jawaani! Trust mainstream cinema and TV to show them exactly what they want to watch. If you can teach the kids to not leave their brains behind come what may( not even for your fav SRK movie) they wouldnt watch this piece of shit! I am 21 by the way though my friends feel I should have been born in the 50s. I have written a similar post on the degradation of the media go through it and comment about what you think.
http://fckteleportationilltakethebus.blogspot.com/2010/12/why-india-amuses-me.html

Nalini Hebbar said...

Me too...I find the movies and the songs so cheap, sub-standard and vulgar...we seem to have fallen to levels we should be ashamed of...kids enjoy and dance to these songs as if it is the ultimate in culture and talent.

rashid1891 said...

only good thing about such songs is that it makes us appreciate and long for good songs.

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

@ Neo - oh, really?! Can't believe that!

So, about the gang rape issue, u feel is it an eye wash? well I don't know what to say about why we need a huge force to catch 2 small time rogues.

@ Snow Leopard - Oh yes really, kids imitate whatever is catchy, so it feels bad then.

@ Jack - u r right, actually wanted to take it up separately, so didn't write about it here. These ads just embarrass us.

RESTLESS

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

@ Alka Gurha - hmm,quite right. don't know what more to say?

@ Nikhil Garg - It's not about the value system, but the stage of life u r in. anything with catchy beats and music is liked by youngsters, which is again ok. But this one is really crass.

@ Harish - I know! I am loving the soulful songs even more!

RESTLESS

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

@ Nikhil - u welcome dear :) It's ok, I understand what u say.

@ Vivek - Hi! good to c ur comment! oh those shows, thank God! i had not been torturing myself with them! Yeah actually, media should be a little responsible. take care :)

@ Sourav c Pandey - I see ur point. But sexual ideas take place very easily in human beings, u would agree. so why serve it in a platter? We can't change the world, but a little clean time on TV for family purpose is all I am asking for. But thanks for ur views.

RESTLESS

Arpana said...

life is turning into money churning machine for many of us- in such scenario its not too much to ask about aesthetic appeal and morale.

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

@ Neeha - As a parent it disturbs me, otherwise it's fine, it's life, and u have all the colours in it.

btw, good to know u noticed and mentioned about nudity as art :)

@ Aditya - :D loved the comment. Does she even look sexy?!

@ zephyr - yeah, could feel ur anger over the issue :)

U have a point, as a young girl, it didnot bother me, about such songs or dance, but now as a mother it does, somewhere we are too responsible in promoting such things.

thanks for ur comments :)

RESTLESS

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

@ conditions apply - well yes precisely, when kids grow up with this stuff, then everything is alright for them. Anyways, welcome too this blog, will read ur post soon.

@ Nalini - oh yes, so true.

@ rashid - yes, right.

Thanks everyone for your comments and stay in touch!

RESTLESS

S.R.Ayyangar said...

Now a days, people have been 'conditioned' to foot tap, dance and sing songs like the one you mentioned. Leave alone young, older ones too join the group to shake their legs.So much for the values mow.Posts like this would be branded as 'outdated' by many without realizing how much poison has gone down in their minds. Gone are the days of soulful, heart touching lyrics.

Anonymous said...

yes.. Rajiv Gandhi did tell that.. simply said, its within us that we shud be taking this crass or not....

I for one, believe, Electronic and Print Media, including papers like Hindustan Times and Times of India, just reflect the society that we live in. so no point singing chorus to ban such shows...

Aditya Kasavaraju said...

@ Well, she sure is sexy but not in the song. She tried & failed miserably. :) This is what happens when she or anyone trusts mediocre directors who make money ONLY from the 1st week collections of their movies which is good money because they generate that interest in the public using paid advertising. Art of cinema down the drain :)

Blognostic said...

She looks good in the song. As long as they air it on entertainment channels, there is nothing to worry about. I am sure all the kids would have heard about the song by now. Lets just explain the meaning to them, instead of confusing them. :)

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

@ S R Ayyangar - very true, at times, its the fast beats which pull people, but the lyrics should also be given a thought to.

@ Neo - its not about banning a show, but the time slot can be changed keeping in view the small kids TV time. That's all I wanted to say.

@ Aditya - :))

RESTLESS

Anonymous said...

exactly.. i am not saying to ban the show.. i never hinted it.. rather.. i am against banning any.. it infringes on my freedom to see whatever i want. thats why i said.. everyone can exercise the option of the switch off button, in case the time doesnt suit one...

also, withe technology around, one can always lock a particular channel, and once locked.. even the TV buttons wont work to browse channels... one has to go for the remote only which the parents can always keep away from children...

also with digital tv around, we also have the option of not subscribing to the channels which shows these songs.. be it MusicX, or MTV or B4U Music...

Anu said...

Heroines are no more sensual or glam dolls....they are looking and acting has become vulgar now!
Yes it is disgusting to hear or watch such songs. And the most annoying fact is that "only movies with such high C graded item songs are making a big hit in silver screen". If there is no such item song, the movie is never considered to be a hit!
But I cannot deny the fact, that munni badnam hui is a foot tapping song, not for its lyrics, not for malaika shaking every single part of her body, not for sallu or any shirtless, flirting sood, or any other...but just for its tune!

Sandeep Solanki said...

If some extra crores given to katrina she would also act in softporn movie. What a shame? Only few of you must be knowing that In america and europe tv is the biggest problem of all. Few days back a 5 year old kid killed 4 With his fathers gun by seeing it on tv. Tv programs teach us about extra marital affairs, livin relation and remarriage. To know more about the whole Mayajaal of television visit Rajivdixit.com and listen to his mind boggling lectures which truely opens our eyes. Please i request you to listen his lectures once. Extremely interesting lectures

Anonymous said...

You'll want to add a facebook button to your blog. I just bookmarked this article, although I had to complete it manually. Simply my $.02 :)

- Robson

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

Neo - Oh no, its not just about music channels, to my horror, shiela song was all over the other news channels... is it some pass time?! how much can u control. anyways, it seems we got to learn to be with such things. :)

Vaish - haha, liked the way u wrote the comment! yeah of course munni and sheela songs are foot tapping numbers, no denying the fact!

Dj luv - hmm, u have said a number fo things. don't agree to all, but its ok.

Robson - yeah, will do it sometime, thanks!

RESTLESS

Anonymous said...

well.. anyhow..i for one.. felt both these songs shiela as also munni were far more decent that some of the reality shows that were on offer on prime time..not only prime time but also running all through the day.. sample some ... for example.. Axe Your Ex is one on V Channel. Dare to Date is another on Mtv (i maybe wrong wiht teh channel name, so better checkthat out)... these border on absurdity to the most vulgar...

and not to mention BigBoss, Rakhi Ka Insaaf etc... now they are starting a new one .. Lockedup Love or something on UTV Bindaas... it's termed as the battle of teh sexes... God save us.. from such nasty shows...

Vee said...

That's some interesting discussion going on. Have spent lot of time pondering over the views provided by everyone here. Glad you could bring people discussing about your topics! :)

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

Neo, yeah sure, those shows are horrible, i have seen dare to date it think, horrible it was.

Anonymous - thanks!

Vee -hmm, glad my co-bloggers to come over to discuss. what about ur views? u heard the song?

RESTLESS

Jumman Zonti said...

I am from Bangladesh. I had also seen those songs. Now I am going to give thanks to you for writing on this topic.

RESTLESS said...

U r welcome Jumman Zonti!

Point Place said...

Love both songs, I don't find anything vulgar about them. From my perspective, your views seem ultra-conservative.

Aanisha said...

To Point Place, right, women in this world say that they would not date Indian men because they are perverted. Your perspective just proves they are right. The writer made a great point-- what happens when we in the family are watching this. To be honest, this is disgusting. I remember when I was a kid and a song called choli kay pichey was on tv. Back then I was too small to understand the song's meaning. So to me, it was only a song. But then a lady my mom invited over for dinner suddenly started criticizing its lyrics. She was blunt about the meaning. I didn't know much about sex, but I was truly shocked to realize that people could stoop low to sell their stuff. 

Rommel Laudato said...

I understand what you mean, I've watched Malaika's Munni and Katrina's Sheela to compare them both. Although I don't understand a word their saying, in my humble opinion Munni is much better to watch, you can see the characters in it with their facial expression you will know what the scene is about, always makes me smile every time, Sheela just plain sexy dancing sorry Katrina( I love you) but to me Munni is much better, can't be consider just Malaika's sexy dancing.

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