Rage and Outrage

AR Rahman's version of an iconic Bengali song has missed the spirit of the original and Bengalis are angry

- Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

WHAT would it sound like if someone set the lyrics of the Indian National Army's (INA's) marching song, Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja, to the tune of the popular Bollywood numbers Chhai Chappa Chai or Roja Jaaneman? It could possibly sound something like the AR Rahman version of Karar Oi Louho Kopat that the Oscar-winning music composer created for the movie Pippa. That's what has been the essence of the reaction of a wide number of Bengalis since the release of the song earlier this month.

The rendition has run into a massive controversy, with Bengalis living around the world-in West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Bangladesh and expatriates-expressing their outrage, alleging that Rahman 'killed' the song.

It is no ordinary song. Penned a century ago by a 22-year-old, Kazi Nazrul Islam, the song titled Bhangar Gaan (The song of destruction) calls for violent jailbreaks and infused new enthusiasm in India's freedom struggle, especially in Bengal-now divided into Bangladesh and the eastern Indian province of West Bengal. The fiery lyrics were set to a martial tune. Here is a translation of the first stanza:

Oh, break open the iron gates of prison! Wipe out the blood-stained altars Where chains are worshipped Oh, young Shiva! Blow your trumpet of doom May the flag of destruction fly high and pierce through the walls "Brother, every time the warder closed the iron gates of the prison, I was reminded of that song of IslamKarar oi louho kopat, bhenge fyal, kor-re lopat," 'Netaji' Subhas Chandra Bose told his friend, Dilip Kumar Roy, according to the latter's essay titled, Sangeet Sadhak Nazrul. Roy was friends with both Bose and Islam.