Singer Sona Mohapatra has a constructive message on the ongoing discussion on the music mafia.
In the midst of the raging discussion around nepotism and music mafia in the industry, Sona put out a candid video on her social media which is heading to a million views with a thumbs up from viewers and musicians alike.
Known for her outspoken views, Sona believes that the whole musical eco-system needs to be re-hauled from the ground up. The Indian music industry is merely an extension of the film industry and hence places too much emphasis on film music and mirrors the systemic problems of the film industry too. This has created a chronic lack of variety, quality and cultural influence, while strangling the chances of forthcoming talents.
She believes that almost everyone in the entertainment industry, seems to have a ‘struggler’ mindset. They refuse to feel secure enough to be able to look out for others. This has led to a myopic, short term view of the future of the industry because that can only happen by nurturing new, genuine talent of tomorrow.
The gatekeepers and tastemakers of the industry would only benefit by adopting more inclusive practices that welcome diversity. The gender disparity itself is telling, there are not more than eight odd songs in female voices for every 100 released in the mainstream. This, from the industry that spawned titans like Lata Mangeshkar & Asha Bhosle. While the world has progressed, our industry has regressed in that sense.
Elaborating her stance, she says, “The fact that we don’t have a real music industry in a country as big as India should bother all of us. It’s a mere subset of the film industry with a few interconnected families calling the shots. There is more talent and love for music for us to have built a thriving independent industry. Music sells almost everything in this country including election campaigns, toothpaste, sporting events and bid budget films but is sadly the most undermined commodity in the media landscape. Mainstream musicians go through a miserable and humiliating rejection and ragging process while making a soundtrack. The creator of a song doesn’t even have the right to cast a singer and that itself is so disrespectful to the process of creativity. It is the reason why so many people are dubbed for ‘scratches’. My belief is that ultimately, the song suffers. It is akin to it being ‘flogged’ in a sense.”
She adds that while it is critical to have a discussion about music label monopolies and the lopsided clique driven power structure in the film industry, it is equally time for all of us to self reflect. It is important that audience aspire for world class standards in entertainment which comes from being more demanding of authenticity and integrity from our entertainers.
