After backlash, 'Khaali Peeli' makers to rewrite 'Beyonce' song lyrics?
As it turns out, blatant ignorance and racist undertones were not the only problems with the Khaali Peeli song, Beyonce Sharma Jayegi. The makers are now looking at a legal controversy as they apparently used the 39-year-old pop icon's name with no such permission. Beyonce had reportedly trademarked her name years ago, implying it cannot be used for commercial purposes, without approval.
#SorryBeyonce: Indian fans had apologized for the track
Beyonce Sharma Jayegi, that was dropped earlier this week, was berated by netizens for the line, "Tujhe dekh ke goriya, Beyonce sharma jayegi." The makers were criticized for reiterating Bollywood's obsession with fair-skinned women and their racist approach for the shameless comparison with the beloved African-American singer. Many Indian fans of Beyonce apologized to her and even urged her to sue the film's makers.
Makers now planning to tweak the lyrics, report says
According to a report in Mid-Day, the upcoming film's producers are now planning to tweak the lyrics to avoid plausible legal issues. "Beyonce has not only trademarked her name, but also won a long legal battle to copyright daughter Blue Ivy's name. In a pre-emptive move, the makers are now planning to rewrite the song to avoid legal repercussions," a source told the publication.
'Unwise to take on an international star like Beyonce'
"With the dance number being called out for racism, it will be an unwise move to take on an international star like Beyonce, especially at a time when the 'Black Lives Matter' movement has set the stage for equality," the source further added.
'Beyonce Sharma...' has 7.39 lakh 'dislikes' on YouTube
Some celebrities as well as countless fans of Beyonce had slammed the song right after its release. In fact, on YouTube, the track has garnered a massive 7.39 lakh "dislikes," as opposed to only 80,000 "likes." Beyonce Sharma Jayegi has been composed by Vishal-Shekhar and voiced by Nakash Aziz and Neeti Mohan. Its lyrics have been penned by Kumaar and Raj Shekhar.
Meanwhile, the director has apologized for the song
Meanwhile, the film's director Maqbool Khan has apologized for the song, adding they had never intended to hurt anyone's sentiments. "The term 'goriya' has been so often and traditionally used in Indian songs to address a girl, that it didn't occur to any of us to interpret it in literal manner...We are all huge fans (of Beyonce), there was never any question of disrespect."
By the way, the film's teaser wasn't adored either
Amid re-ignited debate around nepotism in film industry, a teaser trailer for Khaali Peeli, that was released last month, also met with similar hatred. The one-minute clip has over 17 lakh dislikes on YouTube. Khaali Peeli stars Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday, both "star kids."
'Khaali Peeli' is set to premiere this October
The movie tells the tale of two outlaws who are on the run from the cops. It has been produced by Ali Abbas Zafar. Apart from the young duo of Ishaan and Ananya, the film also features Jaideep Ahlawat and Satish Kaushik. The movie is set to be released on the recently-launched pay-per-view service, Zee Plex, on October 2.
