MUMBAI: For everyone and anyone who has spent any amount of time on the Indian soil, in the last decade or so, did eventually get exposed to the Punjabi music through some medium or another. Even the Obamas’ and the Royal couple’s Z+ security could not stop the phenomenon to find a way into their aural receptors. At least, the lack of lyrical knowledge about the songs acts as an excuse in their respective cases. But what excuse would the millennial provide for consuming the songs that have lyrically, more often than not, revolved around the anti-social elements or issues concerning sexism.
The Indian Institute of Management- Ahmedabad (IIM-A) conducted a survey to conclude the fact through the provision of data to back it up. Led by Professor Dheeraj Sharma, the survey was conducted among 200 students between the ages 18 and 25, who each shared the fifty Punjabi songs they often heard.
The survey concluded that, in case of some students, every song contained one of these elements in its lyrics. Every song of the playlist revolving around drugs, alcohol, violence or chauvinism does raise some concerns. Professor Sharma concluded, “The causes for the drug abuse or usage among the youth can boil down to economical or environmental factors related to the concerned consumer.” Music or songs come under the environmental factors that have an impact on the youth to some extent. As surveyed, the impact could be every song in the playlist fall under the category, or at least a minor portion. But it is important to note, among the students who were surveyed, none had zero number of songs from the category.
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Sharma’s survey did not restrict to the youth from the universities or a particular society. “I went to the smaller regions of Punjab and found out that over 60 per cent of the youth listen to the songs that have some reference to drugs and violence in its lyrics.”
Punjab, unlike most of the states in the country, has bigger affiliation with non-film music, however the unfortunate part about the non-film Punjabi pop culture has been the permissive attitude taken a bit too far. In the wake of ‘Udta Punjab’ controversy, actors, cricketers and politicians have jumped on the bandwagon and raised several questions regarding how Punjabi songs have not only affected the youth of the state, but the image of the rich music culture that it once proudly boasted about.
Songs about drugs and violence, in the past decade, have ensured instant success for the producers and artistes, and the factor motivates the creators for emphasizing further on the formula. “I spoke to two producers and, it’s quite unfortunate that, they are only concerned about money. The businessmen in them tend to overlook the grave issue at our hands.”
Does the fact that these musicians themselves consume drugs or any sort of aggressive or violent behavourial past leads to the portrayal of these elements in their lyrics? “I do not think that is the case. Several musicians from the West have consumed drugs but expressed the same in a more subtle manner. The issue is not about singing about them, it is also about how it’s done. These lyrics are so filthy and obscene, you cannot even call them art,” said Sharma.
Prof. Sharma also believes the discontent in Punjab due to several factors has not allowed the youth to channelise its energy and it has reached the point that they connect to these lyrics since it’s very prevalent in the state.
Prof. Sharma proposes more universities should conduct similar surveys in order to understand and learn the youth and the evolving attitudes of who would become the country’s future. “Over 50 per cent of the population falls under the age of 25. It is extremely vital to understand what they prefer and their understanding of the pop culture. University of Michigan arranges several such surveys every year among 2000 students to study several patterns. The results do help the society as a whole.”
The professor also believes one cannot be stopped from contributing to the music culture in similar manners, but this would lead to further deterioration of art and the society.
“Art is the mirror of what happens in the society. Art is also what shapes the society,” said Sharma, to sum up the entire debate.
