Gandhiji inspires Bollywood’s song and dance world!

In the recent years, if there is one person who has inspired Bollwood no end, it is the Mahatma. Perhaps, it has something to do with the way Rajkumar Hirani had the brawny Sanjay Dutt contemporise the Father of the Nation, applying the term Gandhigiri to the basic tenet of turning the other cheek in Lage Raho Munna Bhai.
Maybe it had more to do with the way the film raked in the moolah, giving more filmmakers dollar-driven, let’s incorporate Gandhiji ideas.And maybe yet, ‘inspired’ is not quite the word here, as much as, sadly, ‘used’ is.
But post 2006, Gandhiji has firmly come out of the one odd photo hanging behind the seats of police officers and judges, and has almost broken into a song and dance in various movies. While there are still very few movies made on the great man per se, Bollywood seems to be loath to let go of the chance to include Gandhiji as a revolutionary omnipresence in films, if the filmmakers can think of some way to it.
And when filmmakers think, can songs be far behind? And so, suddenly, Gandhiji seems to be Bollywood’s most popular, for the want of a better word, songwriter-composer now (Well, the song has always been identified with him!). What with the many versions of a prayer that had once brought tears to a million eyes, Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, becoming part of filmi soundtracks. And this trademark Gandhi bhajan is no longer just that. It’s a rap, it’s part of a medley, it’s a remix, it’s a refrain, its lyrics are all tod-marod... Hey Ram! If only Gandhiji had thought of copyright laws, we wouldn’t be reading on to what’s below:
In Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
Sung in the film as a medley, a faster remix version that had Raja Ram as a fade-away refrain, and a male voice inserting a high pitched Patita Pavana Sita Ram every time Kajol spotted Shah Rukh and her heart lurched at her college sweetheart approaching her while being jostled by kids jumping around after a flag hoisting ceremony. At least, the lyrics remained original!
In Satyagraha (2013)
Totally, the handiwork of the composer-writer duo Salim and Sulaiman. Catchy song, with the pace increasing to a crescendo. Except for the refrain of Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, everything was changed. Uthkar karne hain kuch kaam, Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram went one line, with more such provoking lines rhyming throughout the song (like Ghayal hai bhola insaan). Was this Prakash Jha’s solution to what he called ‘democracy under fire’? Dunno, but the song sure was gen next.
In Zanjeer (2013)
Why a remake of an out-and-out masala film needed this song is something only Apoorva Lakhia can tell us. But the film opened with chants of Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram. Not only that, the song becomes a background score for the violence shown on the screen – which, to begin with, is a first. No one before has ever shown violence choreographed to Gandhiji’s prayer ever before. So when Ram Charan slaps men shouting ‘CM Murdabad’ as Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram plays on, it does slap your sensibilities as well.
In Krrish 3 (yet to be released)
Right on the heels of launching the teaser, came this video with Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram. The veteran Rajesh Roshan’s handiwork, this version has nothing in common to the original, and neither is it used in a ‘revolution’ inspiring manner. The tune is different, set to a party beat, and the lyrics go something like, Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, non-stop party, aaj ki party, celebrations tere naam. It is almost reminiscent of Radha on the dance floor in the way it is sung. But hang on one sec, do our youngsters really need to be singing Behke huey hain armaan in the same breath as Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram? Well, guess all’s fair in Bollywood’s song and dance world!