O colourful lady
You are like a golden creeper….
You are like a full moon in a damaged house
This is how one can loosely translate Rangabati O Rangabati , the cult Sambalpuri song from Western Odisha, which describes a woman’s beauty in an intoxicating manner. The hook for the song was such that over the years it bridged the gap between the tastes that rule the castles and the street. Across generations – from truck drivers to college students, everyone has tapped to its beat and poetic beauty.
Recently, the song came into focus all over again when singers Sona Mohapatra and Rituraj Mohanty sang a new version of the song for MTV Coke Studio. Composed by Ram Sampath, it is an ode to the folk song that the generations have jived to. Sona has said it is her 10th year as a professional singer and wanted to give something back to her home state. But Jitendra Haripal, who claims to be the original singer, and lyricist Mitrabhanu Gauntia takes umbrage. They allege that their permission was not sought before fiddling with their song.
A legal notice has been sent for Copyright violation because Gauntia claims though composed in folk tradition, it is an original song and composition. However, on YouTube, the text below the video says that the song has been there from times immemorial and it was composed in the late ’70s by Prabhudatta Pradhan with additional lyrics by Gauntia. It also says that Haripal and Krishna Patel gave it their voices.
Haripal says it is not happening with him for the first time. A Dalit from Dom community, who was never allowed in music circles, Haripal is a self-trained exponent of Sambalpuri sangeet. He says he sang the song for All India Radio and soon it exploded on the scene. Music company INDRECO signed a contract with him but the song took a long time to make an appearance in the market. “The royalty came for some time and then it stopped, forcing him to do odd jobs to make the ends meet.” He was rediscovered by journalist P. Sainath who reported his story in The Hindu .
Haripal, speaking over phone from Sambalpur, doesn’t buy the argument that the new version is appealing to the young generation. “The song is a cultural icon something that reminds them of their roots. Do the youngsters ask for Red Fort or Taj Mahal to be painted in a different colour because they have been bored of them?” asks Haripal.
He maintains that the number of hits on websites only indicate the level of curiosity of the young generation and proves that the song still strikes a chord with the young listeners.
Gauntia suggests that he doesn’t have any written contract but he is in the process of collecting documents from AIR and cassette covers to prove his case. “More than royalty, it is a case of my dignity and Odia identity. I feel my work has been abused. Rongabati means beautiful woman but if you sing it like Rongo Rongo for style it means something else because Rongo means eunuch in Odia.”
When one approached Sona, she said that she has received word from her lawyer that she cannot answer as the matter is sub-judice. “All I’ll say is that I respect music, musicians and artistes too much to do anything to hurt them in any way. The sole intention was to put the spotlight on the State’s rich folk musical heritage and my Odia roots. I am quite confident that law will take its course and that the truth shall prevail. Please do a Google search or a YouTube search for the song and you will find some answers for starters. This controversy is sadly motivated from a whole different space. Nothing to do with artists’ rights and that’s the saddest part. People are jumping into the fray to get their two bits of fame and push their own agenda. I am deeply hurt and disturbed. I am trying to focus on all the positivity that we have received from music lovers from around the world and from the youth in Odisha for our remaking of Rangabati to keep my sanity.” The argument continues…
Striking a balance
This is not the first time that popular culture has picked a folk song. Hindi film industry has been tweaking folk songs and ghazals. When Ismail Darbar brought Nimbooda Nimbooda back in business, he said he was helping the folk artists. When one visited RIFF festival a few years back, the folk artists said the popularity of the song indeed helped but now everyone wants to listen to only Nimbooda Nimbooda in Darbar’s tune. A.R. Rahman showed the way when he remade Sasural Genda Phool in Delhi 6 . Nila Madhab Panda, who has used Rangabati in his film Kaun Kitney Paani Main , says Rahman showed in Genda Phool how one can strike a balance between contemporary and traditional. “I took permission from the original composer and singer,” says Panda.
Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, who has just reinterpreted the popular ghazal Dil Dhadakne Ka Sabab with a video featuring Naseeruddin Shah, says there are two ways to reintroduce the old traditional songs to a new generation. “One by changing the orchestration and the other by changing the style of singing. I have chosen the former. It is popular ghazal of late Nasir Kazmi and has been sung by the likes of Noor Jehan and Asha Bhosle. So I understand my responsibility.” Also, he adds, there are many compositions that should not be touched. “Like I never touch some of the classic compositions of my father (Amanat Ali Khan). I don’t fiddle with my first song Aankhon Ke Saagar and still sing it in the same way. I am not against fusion because it is something that has got me recognition but it requires lot of care because if the elements don’t come together, things can go horribly wrong.”
Hindi film industry has been using songs of Pakistani artists like Main Tainu Samjhanva Ki which was originally sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and was re-recorded by Arijeet Singh for Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya because producer Karan Johar wanted it that way. Recently, there was an issue with Bajrangi Bhaijaan where Jholi Bhar Do Meri made popular by Pakistani quwwal late Ghulam Sabri was sung by Adnan Sami. Now Ghulam Sabri’s son Amjad is threatening to go to court because his permission was not allegedly sought by the producers.
“Credit should be given where it is due. We did that in the Dildara song in ‘Ra.One’,” contends Shafqat and in the same vein adds that nobody can dislodge the original off the shelf.
