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Friday, December 30, 2011

Kolaveri, Kolaveri Di

Usually I would have come down hard songs like Kolaveri Di (murderous girl) and such nonsense (the stupid lyrics are here). However, I read this quote from Robert Frost and decided otherwise. After all, I don't want to lose my friends for a stupid song. The following is Robert Frost's words that gives a new and acceptable twist to the tripe that is Kolaveri Di:

A civilized society is one which tolerates eccentricity to the point of doubtful sanity. Robert Frost

Okay, okay, so I will retract my stand and let the song be. Let peace prevail. I am a peaceable man. Actually it's so popular in Japan because Japanese don't understand Engrish so well (they speak broken English, mostly, you see. (Not to say this of the intellectual elite, of course; so they don't really, really know the sexist, racial slurs that dot the lyrics of this song. Being a civilised society we tolerate Kolaveri Di and half-baked songs like that because we are tolerant (we are used to sexism and racism) and because the singer is so-and-so's son-in-law, who it seems has a fixation for (murderous) girls with white skin (don't we all have it?). What does the "white girl" being a "Kolaveri" has to say about a dark-skinned girl. That she is inferior in some way? That sexism. And this whole thing of life being dark harkens to racism. My point of view. Yesterday's front page story in a tabloid was all about how a former star was not allowed to take a doggy bag from a restaurant.And the newspaper was full of what and where film stars were going/doing for new year.

But a protest has to be made. Please, singer, don't take this too far. It's stretching it too far. These things deflect our attention from serious issues like unemployment, homelessness, waterlessness, roadlessness and lack of electricity.

I am @johnwriter on Twitter and John.Matthew on Facebook. I blog here.

8 comments:

IndianaRonaldo said...

I do get the point you are projecting. But sir, with all due respect, film songs are supposed to be catchy and entertaining. Sexism involved, yes, but this is not something we are taboo about.
 And the son-in-law thing is a bit biased, really. The song would have been a hit, son-in-law or not. 

John P Matthew said...

Prasanna, everybody has their opinion about the song. I was only expressing mine. If the thing about the son-in-law is unfair I withdraw it. Thanks for commenting!

Kr_desh said...

Hi, I live in north India and I am in my 40s. Regarding this song, I spoke to make of my colleagues and friends who are in their 20s.One thing I have noticed that every time they speak about kolavery, they burst in to laughter. I feel that this song is so popular, because many people find it eccentric. 

IndianaRonaldo said...

Of course, I was only expressing myself. Never meant to be impolite and sorry if it seemed like that.

John P Matthew said...

Yeah, eccentric is one thing, but considering it anything beyond is worthless.

Anshul Verma said...

such a nice creation of music......i like this.....n thnks for this post.....
.love sms

Faarooqui said...

watch this version : Animated toys singing :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhM430wwBCw

Unknown said...

Yea, will give it a look see when i hsve the time :)