Music is an indispensable part of Indian Cinema and often films do well based on how good their songs are. And of all the songs that are traditionally present in a movie, item songs have the highest demand for they cater to the larger audience who simply watch a film for entertainment and want to dance on beats. And the center of each item song is a woman who is treated as an eye candy around whom the men swarm around like flies. The representation is absolutely derogatory but it has been accepted and promoted for decades together for the long prevalent patriarchy in the society.
Thankfully the trend has changed and the issue is being addressed. Lyricists, film makers, and producers are slowly changing their ways of work and listening to what women at large object to and what has been wrong with the industry for long. This is no age for a damsel in distress but of a lioness marking her territory.
In this article, we have enlisted some phenomenal songs that will not only blow your mind with its peppiness but make you feel content for its depth. There can be entertainment without vilifying women and this has been proved very well.
Here we go with the songs that you ought to listen and may feel like adding to your playlist.
Oo Antava (Pushpa: The Rise)
Recently there has been a lot of craze for Oo Antava majorly for its casting – Samantha and Allu Arjun and the former’s smashing dance moves. Yet did you know what the lyrics exactly mean?
Check out the translation.
Music composer Devi Sri Prasad asserted that ‘Oo Antava’ is, in fact, not an item number, but a song with a “social message.” According to him, the lyrics make all the difference, setting it apart from other item numbers.
Rupaiyya (Satyamev Jayate)
Written by Swanand Kirkire, composed by Ram Sampath, and sung by Sona Mohapatra, Rupaiyya attacks the concept of dowry. The powerful vocals remind the world, once and for all, that women are not objects to be bought and sold.
Bekhauff (Satyamev Jayate)
Written by Svati Chakravarty, Bekhauff speaks of the courage of women, that keeps their spirit alive even in the face of extreme adversities fighting societal evils and crimes.
Jugni (Queen)
Queen brought us a song that spoke of breaking free from the cages of a patriarchal society. Amit Trivedi, who also composed the track, added just the right mixture of excitement to Anvita Dutt’s lyrics, when he sang of becoming your own person, and valuing your own self-worth.
Mann Ke Manjeere (Shubha Mudgal)
Addressing the issues of domestic violence, Shubha Mudgal’s Mann Ke Manjeere is not just a brilliant example of what Indipop stood for, but also a battle-cry for all women who finally broke their shackles.
Evada Unna Petha (Tamizh Padam 2)
Evada Unna Petha means ‘who gave birth to you’ in Tamil which is a parody of very popular but misogynist songs in Tamil. The women in the song question the patriarchal society for making women conform to stereotypical gender roles.
Here We Go (2 Penkuttikal)
This song is from the Malayalam movie 2 Penkuttikal (2 girls) which talks about what are the dos and don’ts for a girl that society tells. Girls don’t waste your life on listening to them and do whatever you feel like, it preaches!
Rasathi (36 Vayadhinile)
This Tamil song asks women to let go of the roles forced on them and build a life for themselves; women can achieve their goals when they let go of the ‘special status’ the society assigns them, it says.
Which one is your favorite?