Street to studio, verse as art commodity
The spat between poet Aamir Aziz and artist Anita Dube over the reproduction of Aziz's popular poem, Sab Yaad Rakha Jayega, in Dube's recent exhibition in Delhi, Timanjala Ghar: Three Storey House, raises interesting questions about the ethics and process of art production. Sab Yaad Rakha Jayega, performed by Aziz first on YouTube in January 2020, had become an anthem of sort for the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protestors. Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters recited it at a protest meet against the incarceration of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, further expanding its audience. Dube reproduced the poem in her work, 'After Aamir Aziz', while acknowledging Aziz's authorship but, in the latter's words, 'without his knowledge, consent, credit, or compensation', which violate Indian copyright laws. Aziz has hinted that his hurt is more about the form and context in which the poem was reproduced as an art object. In fact, he has said 'if someone holds my poem on a placard at a protest, I stand with them'. He goes on to describe Dube's artwork as 'theft' and 'erasure', whereas Dube claims that her intent was to celebrate Aziz's verse. She has since acknowledged an 'ethical lapse' and the artist and gallery have decided not to put the work on sale.
However, the controversy puts the spotlight on the practice of an artist working with a pre-existing piece of art. Art production is also a conversation with the past: Existing creations (epics, music compositions to photographs) often become ingredients of new works in new contexts. This process could be interpreted as inspiration, collaboration, appropriation, or erasure (as Aziz has said). In the absence of trust and transparency in the engagement, reproduction, renewal or reworking of existing material could be deemed unethical or dishonest. This underlies Aziz's fears that his political art has been appropriated and commodified in a studio environment, which produces a sanitised aesthetics that is in sharp contrast to the language of protest.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
36 minutes ago
- Mint
'Not easy, they come from a lot of struggles': Zoya Akhtar, Ayesha Sood explore lives of trans, non-binary individuals in In Transit
New Delhi [India], June 14 (ANI): Be it a school educator from Tripura or a classical musician from Bengaluru, the four-part documentary series 'In Transit' gives a sneak peek into the lives of nine individuals who live beyond the gender binary and are ready to go through hardships to fulfill their dreams. Each character is at a distinct level in their journey, confronting and challenging societal norms. Produced by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti under the banner of Tiger Baby, the four-part docuseries is directed by Ayesha Sood. The project explores the lives of trans and non-binary individuals navigating love, identity, and the boundaries of gender in a uniquely Indian way. In a conversation with ANI, producer Zoya Akhtar and director Ayesha Sood got candid about the series and shared the challenges of making 'In Transit' Zoya shared that the genesis of the series traces back to the positive response to 'Made in Heaven': "The idea came, actually, after when we started doing Made in Heaven, the first season of Made in Heaven, we got a lot of support from the LGBT community and a lot of love from them. And then the next season, we had a character called Meher, which was played by Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju. And that was a trans woman character. While we were writing it, we realised we knew very little. So we did extensive interviews with about six women. And just their candour, the way they were so candid, the way they shared, and we realised how little we knew of these experiences. And they were from all over India. I just felt that this needs to be explored more. Lucky for us, our partners were Amazon Prime. And when I pitched this to them, they just went for it. So then we got Ayesha on who curated, she wanted to cover in this docuseries. And that's how it started." 'In Transit' is an unfiltered insight into the lives of nine people who live beyond the gender binary. The series features real-life stories of courage, vulnerability, and resistance from people around the country, including a young educator living in a reserve forest, a classical musician from Bangalore, and a corporate hotshot in Mumbai. Talking about the research work and bringing all the stories together, director Ayesha shared, "We did very deep research for about a year and a half. And through that time, we went through, like, from history to mythology to politics to understanding all the concerns of what it means to be trans in this country. And through that process, we made a long list and sort of filtered down ideas and thoughts of the story, and then came down to a final nine. So, you know, different stories and different perspectives and but also, you know, make them universal in that we are talking about, you know, identity and love and family. So these are also universal themes. So that's kind of broadly how we came to our characters." About the challenges of bringing them on camera to share their stories, Sood added, "Through the time that we were doing our research with the team, we started to sort of have conversations and build a relationship with these characters. We spoke with them, we did online interviews, we sent people and went and met them like one-on-one, no cameras. So I think the key thing here was to build this over time. And by the time they came to the camera, they knew us. So they were comfortable with us, and they trusted us. I think it was tough for a lot of them. These are not easy stories. They come from a lot of battles and struggles with people close to them and people in their lives. So I don't think it's easy for them at all." Referring to the story of a school educator in Tripura, Ayesha said, "Sid, who comes from Tripura, actually has a very complicated and tough story and runs away from home and had to be rescued with this conversation, this story that happened with his partner because there was another abduction involved. And we actually found Sid through a local sort of help NGO, an NGO in Kolkata. And they had rescued Sid and his partner from this traumatic night and evening. Our research team had somebody who knew of this, of this NGO and through them, we found this story. So it was like, I mean, I think it was like amazing that we were able to make these links with networks across India, like people who worked in the field, worked with trans individuals who could help us find these characters." Transgenders face different challenges including social exclusion, discrimination, unemployment, lack of educational facilities and others. The director talked about their acceptance in society and how, through the series, she hopes to bring a change. "I think people change and societies change when they experience things that move them and you'll see through the series also, there are some people who are accepting and there are some people who are not accepting and some families that do and some families that don't. So, I don't think it's, you look at the society as one block, you know, has society changed or it hasn't changed but things like 'In Transit' are what is going to help people change. You see it in your living room with family, with other people that you know and hopefully that sparks a conversation and a dialogue within that living room, you know, and changes something there." On talking about the challenges of making the project, Zoya shared, "For me, it was not challenging at all. Reema and me wanted a director that would actually not be manipulative, would actually not want to do something that would be,.. shocking or trying to attract attention in a way that we didn't want and Ayesha was the first name that came to both of us because there's a certain empathy, there's a certain understanding, there's a certain compassion, there's a certain analytical brain, there's a certain she just ticked all the boxes. Then Ayesha came on, honestly, we, for us, it was jam. We really didn't have any struggle." Ayesha agreed and said, "Filmmaking is chaotic and complicated and has many moving parts, but this wasn't a struggle for any of us. The struggle was for our characters, you know, them coming out, telling us their stories. They had to be involved in our process from beginning to end, you know, like give up parts of their life to us, whether it's photographs or introduce us to their worlds. So I think the struggles lay with them, you know, like for us, it wasn't a struggle." 'In Transit' is out on Prime Video. (ANI)
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Happy Birthday Jubin Nautiyal: These 5 Songs Still Give Us Goosebumps
Last Updated: Happy Birthday Jubin Nautiyal: Raataan Lambiyan to The Humma Song, here's a look at his memorable tracks. Happy Birthday Jubin Nautiyal: One of the most popular singers in the Indian music industry, Jubin Nautiyal celebrates his 36th birthday today. Jubin has carved a niche for himself in the music industry with his distinctive style and melodious voice. He gained widespread recognition for the songs Raataan Lambiyan from Shershaah, Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata from Bajrangi Bhaijaan and The Humma Song from OK Jaanu. As he celebrates his birthday today, let's take a closer look at his memorable and latest songs as a singer. Jubin Nautiyal's Top Songs Raataan Lambiyan: Talking about Jubin Nautiyal's memorable tracks, the list should definitely begin with this melodious track from Shershaah. Featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani, the song beautifully captures the longing and yearning of two lovers separated by distance and circumstances. The song conveys the emotions of love, loss, and sacrifice through its poignant lyrics and soothing melody. The Humma Song: The track from OK Jaanu is a vibrant and energetic track that blends romantic and carefree vibes. The song, filmed on Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor, has catchy beats and Jubin's soulful vocals. It perfectly captures the essence of a blossoming relationship. Tum Hi Aana: The romantic and melancholic song from Marjaavaan featured Sidharth Malhotra and Tara Sutaria. Sung by Jubin Nautiyal and Payal Dev, the track conveys the longing for a loved one's return and evokes deep emotions of love, separation, and yearning. Akh Lad Jaave: Sung by Badshah, Jubin Nautiyal, Asees Kaur, Tanishk Bagchi, the track is from the film Loveyatri (2018), and features Aayush Sharma and Warina Hussain. The upbeat song blends folk and modern elements of music with catchy beats and lively vocals. Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata: The song from Bajrangi Bhaijaan is a poignant and emotive track that explores themes of longing and separation, with lyrics that tenderly convey the ache of being apart from loved ones. First Published: June 14, 2025, 07:20 IST
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana's confirmed cast: Yash, Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol to Amitabh Bachchan, 18 big stars to play these roles
Nitesh Tiwari's ambitious adaptation of the Ramayana has unveiled an exceptional cast, generating immense excitement among fans. With Ranbir Kapoor taking on the iconic role of Lord Ram and Sai Pallavi embodying the elegant Sita, the film promises to deliver a grand cinematic interpretation of this timeless epic. The Ramayana is expected to become one of the most highly anticipated films in the history of Indian cinema. Here's a look at the full cast and what viewers can expect. Highly Anticipated Project Ranbir Kapoor will portray Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, who is known for his impressive acting talent, he is expected to bring both serenity and depth to the character. Sai Pallavi will play Sita, marking her notable debut into Bollywood. Her graceful and authentic style makes her an ideal choice for the role, and fans are eager to see this new pairing bring the epic love story of Ram and Sita to the screen. A Star-Studded Star-Cast Including… The mythological film features an outstanding ensemble cast with lead actors, Rocking Star Yash, taking on the formidable role of Ravana, while Sunny Deol embodies Hanuman, adding strength and intensity to the character. Ravi Dubey is cast as Lakshman, and Lara Dutta portrays the intricate character of Kaikeyi. As per Rakul Preet Singh will be seen as Shurpanakha, with Kajal Aggarwal playing Mandodari. Amitabh Bachchan adds gravitas as Jatayu and Anil Kapoor is rumored to play King Janak. Mohit Raina takes on the role of Lord Shiva, while Vikrant Massey plays Meghnad. Kunal Kapoor will portray Lord Indra, and Vivek Oberoi is set to appear as Vidyutjihva. The legendary Arun Govil will step into role of King Dasharath, with Adinath Kothare as Bharat. Additionally, Ramya Krishnan and Sheeba Chaddha are rumored to play Kaushalya and Sumitra, respectively and Bobby Deol is speculated to portray Kumbhakaran. More About Ramayana The film will be released in two parts, with Part 1 slated for theatrical launch on Diwali 2026, specifically November 8, 2026. The follow-up, Part 2, is expected to be released during Diwali 2027. In addition to a cast full of stars, this movie features skilled professionals, such as co-director Ravi Udyawar and writer Shridhar Raghavan. Pankaj Kumar manages the cinematography, and the VFX is led by Namit Malhotra's DNEG. Created by Madhu Mantena, Allu Aravind, Namit Malhotra, and Yash, with an impressive budget of Rs 835 crore, encompassing both segments.
