The local Indian language music industries are taking the coronavirus as a cue and producing songs out of it which is amplifying the spread of misinformation at a rapid rate.
By Abeen Shayiq
The number of cases of COVID-19 is increasing at a rapid rate in India and so are the number of social media videos on coronavirus which are full of prejudice and discrimination. Bhojpuri, Odiya, and Punjabi language songs are most popular and the local Indian language music industries are surely making most profit out of the current prevalent situation, taking the coronavirus as a cue and producing songs and melodies out of it.
Not only are the lyrics bizarre and eccentric, but they are also sexist, discriminatory and misinforms audiences. But these things did not prevent them from garnering millions of views on social media.
One such song calledHello Kaun, Coronaviruswas uploaded on YouTube on February 6, 2020, by the channel named “Khushboo Uttam Official”. This song in Hindi has had over 1 million views.
The singers Khushboo Uttam and Pravin Uttam present a telephonic conversation between a couple. The tone and narration are almost like a romantic-comedy and although the intention seems to provide entertainment, their statements sound ridiculous.
The man calls up his girlfriend and in between his coughing fits asks her to meet him, which she refuses as he has just returned from China. She taunts him by saying that he must have bought with him the coronavirus and asks him if he has eaten snakes and bats while he stayed there.
She professes her love to him but says that this virus is a wall between them right now, to which the guy replies that since the virus is made in China, it won’t last long, a pun at the poor quality of Chinese products available in India.
Viral footages from hospitals in China and other Asian countries with people wearing and buying masks have been consistently used.
Many comments on these songs showed people’s disregard for making such songs about a very serious situation saying that a song like this can embarrass people suffering from the virus and is full of prejudice against a country as it has a discriminatory tone.
Still, many such songs are available online on different social media platforms.
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