Film-maker Anubhav Sinha says BJP’s Bihar rap ‘blatant copy’ of his song on migrants
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India

Film-maker Anubhav Sinha says BJP’s Bihar rap ‘blatant copy’ of his song on migrants

Anubhav Sinha made his allegations against BJP in a Twitter post Thursday, where he said it is ‘beyond my means and powers to take this to court’.

Neelam Pandey    
Manoj Bajpayee in the opening shot of the Bhojpuri rap song 'Bambai Mein Ka Ba' | YouTube screengrab

Manoj Bajpayee in the opening shot of the Bhojpuri rap song 'Bambai Mein Ka Ba' | YouTube screengrab

New Delhi: Film-maker Anubhav Sinha has described a promotional song released by the Bihar BJP as a “blatant and unabashed copy” of his ‘Bambai Mein Ka Ba (what does Mumbai have?)’, a rap number in Bhojpuri that seeks to depict the plight of the migrant labourers who leave their homes in search of jobs in bigger cities.

Sinha’s song, released last month, features actor Manoj Bajpayee, and comes with the message that it is the absence of opportunities in their home states that forces people from Bihar to look for jobs in Mumbai, often in difficult conditions. Both Sinha and Bajpayee trace their roots to Bihar.

The Bihar BJP song is titled ‘Bihar Mein Ee Ba (this is what Bihar has)’, and seeks to highlight the state’s healthcare and education infrastructure, the credit facilities provided in the wake of the lockdown, and other steps taken by the NDA government in Bihar.

Sinha made his allegations in a Twitter post Thursday, where he said it is “beyond my means and powers to take this to court”. 

“I can’t not say this. If I don’t say it I will have a problem with myself. My friends tell me to keep quiet and I love them too. But… BJP has put out a campaign song for the Bihar elections. The song is a blatant and unabashed copy of the song ‘Bambai Mein Ka Ba’, that I released six weeks back. A song that I own 100% copyrights of,” he added.

He said no one ever “reached out to me for my permission”. 

“In an ideal world, this would cost money that they can easily afford. I am sure there was a reason why they didn’t. I am happy to believe this is an oversight of the senior members and I am happy to let it go,” he added.

Also Read: ‘Bihar Mein Ee Ba’ is BJP’s reply in rap to Manoj Bajpayee song on migrant crisis

‘Only replying to opposition’

Reached for comment, Bihar BJP general secretary Devesh Kumar said he “would not like to comment on this… until and unless I ascertain the facts on the issue”. 

Neelkanth Bakshi, a BJP leader, said they hadn’t copied the song. “The song of Anubhav Sinha was in fact copied by the opposition in Bihar with a female voice singing ‘Bihar me ka ba’, which was used by the media also and we condemn it,” he added. 

“We were only replying to the opposition in their own words. As far as the Bihar campaign is concerned, (BJP member and former Bhojpuri actor) Manoj Tiwari will be releasing one song tomorrow (Friday), which will be used for the elections,” he said.

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