A writ petition has been filed to remove the Oscar-winning Indian music director AR Rahman’s rendition of Kazi Nazrul Islam's iconic song "Karar Oi Louho Kopat" in the Bollywood film “Pippa” from all online platforms.
On Wednesday, the writ was filed by Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir on behalf of the Law and Live Foundation Trust and 10 lawyers of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.
"A legal notice was sent to remove AR Rahman’s rendition of 'Karar Oi Louho Kopat,' but no effective action was taken. The writ has been filed in the public interest to preserve the original tune of the national poet’s immortal poem," Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir said.
The petitioners are Supreme Court lawyers Bayezid Hossain, Naim Sardar, Barrister Solaiman Tushar, Barrister Mahdi Zaman, Barrister Sheikh Moinul Karim, Barrister Ahmed Farzad, Shahidul Islam, Md Shahid Siddiqui, Md Anas Mia, and Md Bahauddin Al Imran.
According to the notice, AR Rahman recomposed the highly popular and historically significant song "Karar Oi Louho Kopat" by poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. The song was used in a Hindi film named "Pippa." Although Rahman kept the original lyrics, he changed the tune. This song, originally composed and established by Nazrul, has been a source of inspiration in our revolutionary struggles and movements. Kazi Nazrul Islam is Bangladesh's National Poet, the Rebel Poet.
The notice added "Karar Oi Louho Kopat" is an immortal song over a century old. It spoke out against all forms of injustice and impunity and was written with an anti-British sentiment. Having two versions of the same song - one in Nazrul's original tune and another in a distorted tune - would lead to confusion for future generations.
His poetry is our intellectual treasure, and the notice demanded that the original tune be preserved.
On November 19, a legal notice was sent for the removal of the song, naming the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, ICT Division, secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and the Kabi Nazrul Institute as defendants.
Kazi Nazrul Islam composed "Karar Oi Louho Kopat" in protest of the arrest of Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das by the British government. The song was published in the book "Bhangar Gaan" in 1924. Immediately after its publication, on November 11, 1924, the British government banned "Bhangar Gaan." Later, after India's independence, "Bhangar Gaan" was republished. In 1949, music director Kalipada Sen recorded the song for the film "Chattagram Astraghar Lunthan" directed by Nirmal Chowdhury, with Girin Chakraborty and his co-artists. The song was also used in Zahir Raihan's film "Jibon Theke Neya" in 1969-70.