Bhojpuri rebels against vulgarity, declare ‘war’ on culture vultures

Former minister for art and culture, Vinay Bihari, himself an artist, once had a case slapped against him for vulgarity. Come eelction time, however, and others should beware. A new forum of cinema artists and social workers working to efface vulgarity from the Bhojpuri language and its cultural representation in films and election slogans is bent on neutralising those who propagate "vulgar Bhojpuri".

Former minister for art and culture, Vinay Bihari, himself an artist, once had a case slapped against him for vulgarity. Come eelction time, however, and others should beware. A new forum of cinema artists and social workers working to efface vulgarity from the Bhojpuri language and its cultural representation in films and election slogans is bent on neutralising those who propagate "vulgar Bhojpuri".

The protest against vulgarity in films, songs, political slogans is being spearheaded by Satyakam Anand of Bhojpur, who has worked in two Bollywood offerings - ’Gangs of Wasseypur' - a film on the mafia and gang wars of coal belt in Dhanbad - as well as ‘Mrs Scooter.’

“Bhojpuri is a sweet language but the culture spread by films and cassettes is so crude and vulgar, that someone has to stop it”, Anand told HT.

He said, he has planned a pre-election launch of a film against vulgarity in Bhojpuri christened ‘Bawaal Byscope’ and would lead a campaign of right minded people under his newly formed ‘Ashlilta Mukt Bhojpuri Association’ (AMBA). The shooting begins in August first week.

Anand feels, the way the language has been presented to the world forces people from Bihar to hang their heads in shame outside, because the representations are ascribed to this region and held in ridicule.

Singh said, “I want political parties to promote such an issue, include it in their election manifestos and make efforts for adoption of Bhojpuri in the Eighth Schedule, besides announcement of Bhojpuranchal - a new state with 38 districts spanning districts and north-south Bihar, UP and Chattisgarh areas-which he feels is a separate linguisticcultural area.

It was this Sena, which had launched a drive against vulgar posters and lodged a case against the culture minister, Bharti, a Bhojpuri singer from Champarans.