The recent modern rendition of Rangabati by Sona Mohapatra and Rituraj Mohanty has sparked a huge controversy. Both singers have been vilified by a large segment of Oriya society, including a group of politicians, who have this tendency to jump the gun at the drop of a hat to gain publicity. But the two singers should be lauded for popularising, once again, Rangabati not only within the state but also nationally. We may look at a parallel example. In 2006, in the film ‘Bong Connection’ composer Anjan Dutta fused Reggae beats with Rabindranath Tagore’s song ‘Pagla hawar badol din-e (Wild winds on wet days). The entire Bengali clan criticised Dutta. Seeing the rage the remix song created, Viswa Bharati, which held the copyright on all Tagore songs, withdrew it. Art in any form needs to transcend barriers to live. The sooner people realise this, the better. In 1997, when AR Rahman released his version of ‘Vande Mataram’, much different to the one composed by Rabindranath Tagore on Bankim Chandra Chattopadhaya’s famous poem, it was considered a national disaster. Since then, however, the Rahman version has grown in popularity and is more remembered by the modern generation than the original one.
Sakyasen Mittra
‘Rangabati’ is not an ordinary song. The tune has a cult status in the state and has carved a niche in the psyche of every Oriya. Thus the recent remix labeled by some as a parody of the song has not gone down well with most Oriyas. It has hurt all the more as it has been orchestrated by two Oriyas — Sona Mohapatra and Rituraj Mohanty. Sona and Co, despite their best efforts, have miserably failed to make their version click. One should not hold a grudge against remixes per say. Remixes help gain more recognition for the original songs. But the Rangabati remix has been a poor rendition of the original. There is an attempt to graft too many things, mostly unintelligible, into it. Especially mixing another respected Oriya song ‘Vande Utkal Janani’. The remix has got nothing to offer but Sona’s suggestive gesticulations.
Sisir Mishra
The Rangabati fusion in Coke Studio style has created massive confusion. The controversy regarding the fusion of this famous Sambalpuri modern folk song proves that India needs to have a clear-cut policy on plagiarism and remaking of songs. A modality needs to be framed with crystal-clear guidelines. For singers Sona Mohapatra, Rituraj Mohanty and her Bollywood music director hubby Ram Sampath, Rangabati must have created some tension. They have been threatened with a Rs 1 crore copyright violation suit. Sona and Ram should have taken prior permission from the original composer and lyricist Prabhudatta Pradhan and Mitrabhanu Gauntia. The original singer Jitendriya Haripal has also been offended by the remix, it seems. After all, the folk song was their intellectual property.
Amlan Home Chowdhury
Discordant notes have been filling the air after the remake of Rangabati was aired on MTV Coke Studio. The issue is about the alleged distortion of a song that people of western Orissa identify with and the alleged disrespect to the culture of the region. Just because a song has been remade is not cause enough for protest. Singers have earlier even remade their own songs, one example being Eric Clapton’s Layla. If a song has come out well it should not be a problem, especially as versions remade in the music of the current generation help to acquaint the people of that generation with good music of yesteryears. Music goes beyond generations and also should not be limited to any one person or section of society. Music transcends all boundaries. However, often songs that are remade do not come out well. This is where the notes really become discordant.
Premangshu Ray
It is a welcome step by Coke Studio to remake certain popular songs from different Indian regional languages. The way India has been moving, all languages, their music, songs and culture would eventually be crushed by the sole politically supported language — Hindi. Probably because of the political angle, young Oriyas feel suffocated to talk amongst each other in their own language. They tend to burst forth in their ugly pronunciation of Hindi at the drop of a hat. On the other side of the coin is humility and civility. Both have been ignored in this Rangabati episode. First, there was absolutely no reason for the singer/director duo to not apologise to the original songwriter/musician even if they did not have an official copyright. I am not aware if they do. Even then, artistes must be courteous. Remaking someone else’s creation does require permission. That ought to have been sought. Along with the permission, the rendition of Bande Utkala Janani has disturbed me too. I, for one, feel very happy to hear and see anything Oriya. Yet, this mix of two remixes is musically and aesthetically unacceptable. Bande Utkala Janani is treated as our state’s anthem. No one has the authority to dismember or dishonor it at will.
Tathagata Satpathy