Badshah Now Wants To Record A Song With 'Genda Phool' Writer Ratan Kahar & Share Royalties!
Rapper Badshah landed into the soup after he was accused of not giving credits for using lyrics that were originally penned down by Ratan Kahar.
However, days later, Badshah denied allegations that he used Ratan Kahar's lyrics in his track Genda Phool without credits, saying he could not find the lyricist's name anywhere in the records.
The music video, starring Jacqueline Fernandez, debuted on March 25 and was among the top trends on YouTube but a section of social media users had pointed out how the song does not mention Kahar's name.
Taking to Instagram, Badshah had said as an artist, he would never rob another of his credit.
"Whosoever has tweeted me and all those who made this documentary and his well-wishers, I want you to reach out to Ratan Kahar and tell him that I am here and he can reach out to me. I would love to help him. I have heard he is struggling financially and I want all my friends from the fraternity to support folk artists," he had said.
Badshah's team communicated with the singer through his local contacts and it was finally made possible on April 3. Later on, he confirmed that he received Rs 5 lakh from Badshah on March 6 but said that more than monetary help, he is happy to get recognized as the original lyricist of the Bengali folk song.
Badshah
"Yes, my son has confirmed that Rs 5 lakh from Badshah has entered my bank account. But money is not everything. I am happy as he has credited me as the composer of the lyrics Boro Loker Beti Lo, which he had weaved in his music video Genda Phool. I want to leave behind any controversy," Kahar told news agency PTI.
He said that Badshah had promised to visit his residence at Suri in Birbhum once the lockdown is over and "jointly take part in a musical program."
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Kahar, who is in his 70s and hails from Birbhum in West Bengal, earlier claimed that he wrote the song but never got any recognition for it. His song has been recreated in the past as well. Ratan Kahar said he first got to know that his song was used in the video after a theatre personality showed the video to him.
And now, after financially assisting Kahar, Badshah opened up again and he explained his stance of using the lines in the song. A Mumbai Mirror report quotes him as saying,
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"The original song has been recreated several times in the past, even in Bengali films, and Ratan ji has never been credited. It¡¯s sad because royalties are an artiste¡¯s only source of income. I want to share the royalty of this song with him."
He added, ¡°In the whole confusion, we discovered Ratanji¡¯s talent. Once the lockdown ends, I¡¯ll meet him and record a song with him."
But our point is, is 5 Lakh enough to feed an artist who is out of work now? And, we wonder if the audience will ever let this one go!
