Aaja Nachle - Caste controvrsy

Controversy and controversy – a controversy erupted about the lyrics of a song from a Hindi film – Aajaa Nachle – it stars Madhuri Dixit the leading actress who occupied top position in Bollywood. The lines which have caused the trouble and much heart burn is as follows –

“Bole Mochi Bhi Khud Ko Sunar” - it means that a shoe mender (Mochi) is claiming to be a gold smith (Sunar).

It means that a man of untouchable caste (Mochi – a subcaste of cobblers – the makers of shoes and skinners of dead animals ) claims to be a member of relatively higher caste which is Sonarwhihc is a Shudra artisan caste making the jewelry out of gold or silver. So the situation is created in the movie so that an untouchable hides his identity and changes it to Sonar so as to be acceptable to heroine. It automatically means that untouchables are not acceptable to the heroine of the movie which is in fact a general fact – the untouchables are not acceptable in the society. It is despite the fact that the anti-untouchability Act is in existence in Indian Constitution for more than 50 years. The lyrics are an indirect reference to untouchability and remind the cobblers of their degraded and despicable position.

The hue and cry was understandable but banning the movie was too drastic steps. The writer of lyrics one honorable Shri Piyush Mishra said that he was shocked at such a reaction by cobbler caste in Uttar Pradesh. He also claimed that he knew the caste equation very well. He has used the word Mochi and Sonar as occupations and not as castes. He is innocent enough to not know that in India the caste is known by heredity unchangeable occupations. His kind of innocence knows no bound – this kind of Sarswati is living in him from time immemorial. Incidentally he is Brahman, the highest caste, in Hindu society and retains the unofficial right to degrade others through direct and indirect comments. As one of my friends says about Brahmans –

"And they were scum and that trait is in their genes. So, there is no way that they are changed now. Give them a half a chance and they will show their true colors."

I hope Mr. Puyush Misra, from Gwalior, has no malafide intentions only his ancestors and traditions were speaking through him. I also think that he is not showing his true colors as opined my friend as above. He may have found the present environment of democracy and absence of his caste privileges as suffocating and thus came the lyrics.

Before public screening the movie went to Censor Board headed by honorable Miss Sharmila Tagore who said that the line in question was “slightly overlooked” and some “miscalculation” was made. She took the Mochi and Sonar as professions and not as castes. Innocence after innocence – no end to innocence - all these complex personalities are feigning ignorance after ignorance. They consider it a small issue. And racism in Britain against Shilpa Shetty , the Bollywood actress" was a serious issue!!!!!!

And Mahuri Dixit would not have danced to the tunes if she had found the lines objectionable. She feign ignorance. How many ignorances are there if these knowledgeable people are to be believed? And producers, musicians and directors all have feigned ignorance. Piles of piles of ignorance and sometimes the hidden hatred for untouchables come out of it. Fortunately it was very small this time.

These despicable and hated people are fit to live in their hamlets outsides the villages – that is the message.

Then there is issue of freedom of artistic expression. I fully agree that. But use of creative freedom for a regressive cause? As here noble laureate Amartyo Sen would say that each society has its relative inherent culture and concept of rights and that should not be interfered with. Great noble thoughts.

Anyway I am not against his creative freedom in what ever way he wants to use it. And I also think that banning the book was not the correct solution. In fact, it is small enough factor to make really any difference; it could have been ignored. Those who want to see the movie should see it and those who do not want they should not see it. Simple. It was a flop film and the song bereft of any quality would have died a natural death.