Jahnavi’s Bhojpuri Picks for 2011 – The Good, The Bad and The Very Ugly

The Goodwa, Badwa and the Uglywa – The curious case of Bhojpuri Moojic.

So you stumbled onto this (yeah right, we KNOW you came here for your daily dose of shits and giggles on purpose!) and are now wondering if you stepped into an alternate dimension, right ?! I mean, Bhojpuri Music whaaaaaaaaa ?! But lets get real: the Bhojpuris are multiplying and their music is unavoidable. So even if you’ve never wandered in to watch “Munna Bajrangi” at your local C-grade single-screen cinema hall, you’ve probably heard at least one Bhojpuri song in your life…

The Good:

To appreciate the beauty of Bhojpuri music its worth looking at its folk roots. Iconic songs such as ‘Chalat Musafir Moh Liyo Re‘ from Teesri Kasam:

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… and “Aara Hile La” capture the innate sense of fun that almost all Bhojpuri songs have.

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While Chalat Musafir needs no introduction, Aara Hilela is a similiar folk song, mildly raunchy and full of fun. Common Bhojpuri lore explains the song to be about a girl whose shapely hips have all of Aara district, Baliya district and the whole world shaking.

However the song is also the story of a poor peasant girl, who is sawing logs of wood called “aara”, so Aara hilela. As she saws the wood her earrings shake, so Baliya hilela (not very subtle eh?) and the roof of her jhopdi shakes as well – chhapra hilela 😛 Now all other connotations of the song are up to your hopefully active imaginations!

All that being said, one of the best Bhojpuri songs I’ve ever heard would be “Sajanva Bairi Ho Gaye Hamar.” Maybe this counts as cheating, since the song is actually from a Bollywood Film – Teesri Kasam anyone ? But lets just pause the ragging to appreciate the lyrics for a moment.

“Chithheeyaan ho to,

har koee baache,

bhaag naa baache koee

karamawaa bairee ho gaye humaar…“

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CUT! Thats right, break’s over. Its time to get dirrrty !

The Bad:

Beacause when it comes to humra Bhojpuri musicwa, the best best bits are the bad bits … and they don’t disappoint.

My absolute all time favourite, and I mean that genuinely, no sarcasm intended, is ‘Lollypop Lagelu.’ This video featured on one of my colleague’s Videos that help me unwind list. FYI, the top spot was a tie between ‘Lollypop Lagelu‘ and Sunny Leone’s pole dance in Bigg Boss, and that really says something.

If the retro disco beats, the garish neon clothes don’t do it for you, keep an eye out for the seizure inducing, “mindblowing” editing, along with the facts that the lead girl is still in a ghaghra and the questionably male lead singer is sucking a lollipop in the video …

“Kamoriya kore lopalop, tu lollipop lagelu” – Alexandra Stan, anyone ?!

Statutory Warning: This song will get stuck in your head !

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And now we come to my favourite – remote controlled ghaghras ! This jawdroppping song features the talents of our very favourite Ravi Kissen and the Ghaghra of a very full figured Nagma that flies a la Marilyn Monroe, in ‘Tohar Lahnga uthai de remote se‘

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One has to give credit where it’s due … flying cars and X-ray vision are so passe, the 21st century is all about remote controlled ghaghras – Bhojpuri ishytle !

The Ugly:

So much for badass the Bhojpuri way, its time to meet Ugly Bhojpuri. Brace yourselves – this won’t be pretty … like duh!

‘Raat more Kallu‘

If the name of the song did’t turn you off then wait and watch on. Consider this one to be the ultimate antaphrodisiac – and yes, that IS a word !

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Im not sure which was more offensive the horizontal pelvic thrusting or the game they play on the “cirrcket pitch, palang ke bich!” But when it comes to sexual game metaphors, this song was educational to an entirely new degree …

And it doesnt end there. Up next is an epic song by Khesari Lal – “Hamar lahanga mein meter laga di Rajaji“. The Bhojpuri obsession with lahangas is more than obvious as this time he/she (?) is asking Rajaji to affix a meter within his/her lahanga … Take a look and figure it out !

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Just a thought – what exactly is the meter there to clock ? Useage, speed, mileage?Oh say can you say – overactive imagination ?!

Bhojpuri music is best processed in bits, especially if you are new to the genre. So while I could go on and on about the songs, maybe its best I save some for another time… Maybe next week we can try some Chattisgarhi, eh? I heard they have a smoking remix of Munni and Sheila all in one …

Janhavi Iyer is a candid connoisseur of all the finer things in life, including local wining (country-liquor), dining (bhakhri-pizzas and thepla-enchiladas) and haute couture (flourescent lungis and mindblasting mundus). The Score Team is very proud to have her onboard and share with you all her priceless opinions and tastes.