Highlights:
- Song 'Beyonce Sharma Jayegi' from the film 'Khali Peeli' was criticised by many as racist.
- The makers of the film have decided to change to lyrics.
- Many have taken offence considering the reference of Beyonce is because she is dark-skinned.
The song 'Duniya Sharma Jayegi' (the whole world would feel abashed) is the new version of the 'Beyonce Sharma Jaegi' (Beyonce would feel abashed).
The abashment would be, according to the lyricist, because the hero's girlfriend is very fair.
The line that offended many and has been changed was: Tujhe Dekh Ke Goriya... Beyonce Sharma Jaayegi (Looking at You, O girl! Beyonce will feel shy abashed.
Many on social media apologised to the African-American singer for the reference in the song.
Source: https://twitter.com/maqbool_khan
"The nation owes Beyonce an apology," tweeted Aditi Mittal, a stand-up comedian.
"If someone tried to compliment me by saying "Beyonce Sharma jayegi" I would never see the person again," said another twitter use Khushi Sharma.
After the controversy, the makers of the film decided to rejig the song.
Director of the Film Maqbool Khan told Indian media, "We have made the film for entertaining audiences and not to offend or hurt anyone. Since our lyrical arrangement did not go well with few people, we thought why not keeping the essence same while changing the song a little bit."
'Colourism in India is a systemic issue'
Many believe that this particular song is just an exposition of colourism and racism that is inherent in Indian society and consequently in Bollywood.
"I was a bit shocked by the lyrics, but I was also not shocked," says Divya Saxena, a Sydney-based dancer from Bindi Bosses.
"I think it insinuates that fair girls are being championed in India. But I think everyone is losing focus in terms of that comparing the song with Beyoncé, which is, of course, wrong, but colourism in India is a systemic issue. It needs to be addressed as a systemic issue rather than just apologising to Beyoncé," Ms Saxena told SBS Hindi.
Divya Saxena Source: BindiBosses/Wedding Gurus Production
Divya Saxena is a member of dance group Bindi Bosses a South Asian Performing Arts company that creates and performs fusion dance beyond the stereotype of Bollywood and is not only inclusive of dark-skinned South Asian dancers but inclusive and representative of particularly South Indian perspectives across the diaspora.
She says many of her friends and colleagues have faced racism in Australia, and according her, being a 'fair-skinned person' she understands that she is privileged.
Members of Bindi Bosses, a South Asian Performing Arts company in Australia. Source: BindiBosses/Danish Ravi
"I am aware of this privilege that I have because of seeing other dancers and their experiences. In my dance group, my friends have faced so much racial inequality purely based on their skin tone," says Ms Saxena.
