Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday recently launched the song Beyonce Sharma Jaayegi from their upcoming film ‘Khaali Peeli’ last week. Within minutes of the launch, negative feedback was met over what many felt were racist lyrics. The song currently also has more dislikes than likes on its official YouTube link.
The words in the song that social media finds objectionable say, “Bhadkeeli nakhreeli, Chamkeeli, lachkeeli, Tu jo kamar yeh hilayegi, Tujhe dekh ke goriya, Beyonce sharma jayegi.”
Khatter recently opened up about the song saying, “The word ‘gori’ has been taken out of context, as I understand it. I have asked a lot of questions to people from rural areas, who’ve clarified that ‘gori’ has been used in multiple songs, for ages, as just referencing a girl. Like you’d say ‘launda’ or ‘chhora’, you also say ‘gori’, and that is the context in which it was used.”
He continued, “It was never meant to be about the complexion, let alone race. As for Beyonce, for this ‘tapori’ character, his biggest reference for somebody beautiful, and stylish and iconic is Beyonce. If anything, it’s flattering. That’s why he goes so far as even to compare this girl he’s trying to woo to Beyonce, because he’s trying to flatter her.”
Following the backlash, the makers removed Beyonce’s name from the song and replaced it with Duniya Sharma Jaayegi. The makers initially toyed with the idea of changing the spelling of Beyonce to Beyonse, but finally settled for Duniya, reports Mid Day.
The track is rendered by Nakash Aziz and Neeti Mohan and composed by Vishal-Shekhar. Kumaar and Raj Shekhar are the lyricists.
The shooting of ‘Khaali Peeli’ finished last week. The edgy masala entertainer, directed by Maqbool Khan, brings the pair together for the first time. The film will be Khatter’s second Bollywood film after ‘Dhadak’ (2018).
The movie is slated for a digital release on 2nd October.
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