'Genda Phool' controversy: Badshah says no copyright found but wants to help Ratan Kahar

On March 26, Badshah released his single called 'Genda Phool' which is a Hindi song with Bengali folk lyrics.

However within days of release, while on one hand the song went viral and became the most searched video on YouTube, on the other hand, netizens started accusing Badshah of violating the Indian Copyright Amendment Act 2012 since he did not give due credit to the original songwriter Ratan Kahar, who resides in Bengal's Birbhum district.

Plenty of listeners could identify the line 'Boro Loker Beti Lo Lomba lomba chul.....lal genda phool" as being adapted from the original Bengali folk without the mention of Kahar's name in the credits.

The Bengali portion has been sung by lead vocalist Payal Dev in the music video.

In his defence, Badshah said: "We had however done our due diligence before releasing the song, and nowhere on any copyright societies or any of the previous reprises or versions of the song was Mr. Ratan Kahar credited as lyricist."

"Information all across say that 'Boro Loker Beti Lo' is a traditional/Folk song from the Bauls of Bengal. Just for general information, Traditional songs are open for recreations/reprises/sampling globally," he said.

Badshah, who is right now the topmost rapper in India, said he made Genda Phool in an attempt to present the "gorgeous melody of Bengali Language and the forgotten instrument Dotara, packaged in a commercial song to make it consumable for people not just in India but across the world."

The famous rapper said that he roped in Payel Dev to sing the Bengali portion just to make justice to the linguistics.

Badshah also stated that after the controversy broke, he has been constantly trying to reach Kahar and "be able to do justice to the situation to all my right."

"However the lockdown situation has not been very helpful, it has been difficult to get through the village that Shri Kahar is in and am still trying," he added.

"I urge and request any of the representatives who have been speaking on his behalf, to help me connect with him so I can do whatever possible on my part on humanitarian grounds to put this right," said he.

Ending his long statement, he appealed to his fans to listen to the song as an attempt to introduce forgotten melodies.

This comes after Arghya Bose, a Doctoral researcher in France, has gone ahead to write to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealing to her to secure intellectual and material remuneration for Kahar.

Bose wrote, "In the capacity of a common but responsible citizen of your state, Madam Chief Minister, I feel obliged and responsible to bring to your notice an exploitation of the poor artists of the state of West Bengal at this level by apparently world renowned artists .

It is, indeed, the moral responsibility of the entire population of the state, and more so, the government of the state to protect the interests of the artistic communities of our country."

Besides plagiarism, the song has also earned critical views from several netizens who have accused the makers of objectifying women through several lines of the rap song.