CHENNAI: A film song that is now viral on YouTube has earned the wrath of the Badaga community of The Nilgiris district.
The community, mostly residing in Western Ghats, has now started serving legal notices expressing their condemnation against the song titled ‘Badugas Night’, composed by Harris Jayaraj, featured in the upcoming Tamil movie ‘Brother’, starring Jayam Ravi.
Members of the community allege that the song sounds to be demeaning and a disrespect to their cultural rituals and values of their deity ‘Hethayamma’.
The Badaga tribe of Tamil Nadu has a rich heritage that is deeply intertwined with its traditions, beliefs, and practices.
“The portrayal of our goddess Hethayamma in a manner that does not align with our cultural significance is not only offensive, but also undermines the sanctity of our rituals and cultural practices. Such representations can lead to misunderstandings and perpetuate stereotypes about our community, which is unacceptable to us. We believe that artistic expression should not come at the cost of disrespecting indigenous cultures and their values. The lyrics and presentation do not reflect the reverence we hold for Hethayamma and are contrary to the principles that guide our rituals,” said Ganesh Ramalingam, a member of the community, in a letter sent to the Central Board of Film Certification.
A Bobblie, president of the Federation of Badagar Associations (FBA) has also sent a legal notice to Think Music based in Royapettah, Chennai.
“The song affects the beliefs and feelings of the Badagas. It is a Kuthu Song (peppy number) misusing the name of Goddess Hethe. The Badagas are peace-loving people therefore you have taken advantage of the same, by using the deity's name in a ‘kuthu’ song. You have brought down the dignity and decorum of the Goddess Hethe thereby hurting the feeling of Badagas.” He said.
Hence, the president of the association has urged the producers to remove the entire song ‘Badugas Night’ from the movie ‘Brother’.
When contacted, Think Music said that the issue had been brought to the notice of the production house and would replace the lyrics.