The bards of bawdy Bhojpuri lyrics are always on the lookout for something interesting to add spice to their Holi numbers. Their themes are mostly based on romance involving sisters-in-law or a friend's wife or sister.
This year, they have picked up the love affair of Professor Matuknath Choudhary of the city's BN College. The professor's courtship and eventual marriage with a student half of his age, Julie, attracted primetime television coverage a few months back.
Hit singer Chhotu Chhalia recently released a video, Love Guru, based on the professor's affair. Visit the university area these days and you may find students humming tune from the album.
Besides, a number of other albums like Holia Me Blast by FM Audio & Video and Holi Ke Hilor by Kalpana have hit the stands — all full of double meaning songs.
"Recording companies are hardly aware of such vulgar lyrics when they finalise the deal," said an official of Raj Electronics, the distributor of T-Series in the state capital.
But one thing is sure: vulgarity sells. Nearly 1,000 Chhalia cassettes have vanished from the stands. Some crooners, however, beg to differ. "It's wrong to sell obscenity in the pretext of Holi," said singer Ajit Akela.
The Love Guru singer is in for some rude shock. Matuknath is preparing to sue Chhalia and the recording company for using his name in the video.
Also, a women's group recently lodged a complaint with the Bihar State Women's Commission against the singers' depiction of women as sex symbols in the Bhojpuri numbers.
Email Reena Sopam: rsopam_01@yahoo.com
