After Nazrul’s family, Indian artistes demand removal of Nazrul song from ‘Pippa’

The ongoing controversy with A R Rahman's rendition of Nazrul sangeet "Karar Oi Louho Kopat" has reached another height. Ever since the song has been released, the Oscar winning composer A R Rahman has been facing backlash not just from social media users, but from his colleagues as well.

Yesterday, family of Nazrul held a press conference in Dhaka, where they stated their opinion of not liking the song, and demanded to remove it from the film.

Based on Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971, Raja Menon directorial film 'Pippa' was released on November 10 in OTT platforms. This film contains the song "Karar Oi Louho Kopat", which has been re-composed by Rahman in a romantic melody, making Nazrul sangeet fans angry and disappointed.

Kazi Nazrul Islam's granddaughter and his son Kazi Aniruddha's elder son, Kazi Anirban, has expressed his displeasure due to the alleged distorted melody in the song used in the movie. He has demanded the immediate removal of the song.

The song's credit line contains gratitude towards Kazi Anirban and his mother, Kazi Kalyani. In 2021, a written agreement was made with Kazi Kalyani for the use of this song in the movie by the film production company Roy Kapur Films.

Kazi Anirban, who was a witness to that agreement, also stated, "In the movie, neither my mother Kalyani Kazi's name nor my name should be used. The song should be removed immediately." He further emphasised that in the year 2036, it will be 60 years of the demise of the National Poet of Bangladesh, Kazi Nazrul Islam, and until then, the ownership of this song will remain with the poet's family's heirs.

The demand to remove the song and the condemnation of this incident have been expressed by not only common people of Churulia, West Bengal, where the poet was born, but protests came from the students and teachers of Churulia Nazrul Academy, Asansol's Nazrul University.

Eminent Indian poet Joy Goswami, shared, "Distorting songs of Kazi Nazrul Islam in this manner is a form of misrepresentation and should not be acceptable. I express my agreement with your protest against such actions."

Theatre personality Bibhas Chakraborty also protested regarding this issue.

Protesters have placed posters in front of Hooghly District Correctional Home, in a show of solidarity. Kazi Nazrul Islam spent a significant part of his life in this place. Sonali Kazi, the grandniece of the poet also sent a call for protest regarding this matter to Asansol, West Bengal.

Furthermore, various Indian democratic organisations and the West Bengal Democratic Writers and Artistes Association, driven by the spirit of Nazrul's music, have expressed their concerns and demanded the immediate removal of the altered version of Nazrul's song.

On the other hand, Kazi Rezaul Karim, one of the key founders of Kazi Nazrul Academy and a prominent figure stated, "A R Rahman is a renowned, Oscar-winning musician of our country. How can he alter the original tune of Nazrul's creation? It is unacceptable." He also demands the immediate removal of the song from the movie.