Singer Sona Mohapatra claims Sufi organisation threatened her over music video
Her song ‘Tori Surat’ is based on lyrics written by 13th-century Sufi musician Amir Khusrau.
Singer Sona Mohapatra complained to the Mumbai Police in a series of tweets on Monday that the Madariya Sufi Foundation has threatened her to remove her song Tori Surat from all online channels. She told the police that the organisation has claimed the video is vulgar and can incite communal tension.
Dear @MumbaiPolice I have received a threatening notice from the Madariya Sufi Foundation to remove my music video Tori Surat from all communication mediums. They claim that the video is vulgar,will flare communal tensions.I need to know whom to write in my response to at ur end
— SONA (@sonamohapatra) April 30, 2018
On Tuesday, Mohapatra posted a link to the music video with the message: “If this offends you, then please go live in your pre-historic cave.” She had first posted the video of Tori Surat, based on lyrics written by 13th-century Sufi musician Amir Khusrau, on April 13. The video has over 58,000 views on YouTube.
Lyricist Javed Akhtar condemned the alleged threats by “regressive and reactionary organisations”. “These mullas should know that Amir Khusrau belongs to every Indian,” he wrote on Twitter. “He is not your property.”
In strongest possible words I condemn those regressive and reactionary organisations who are threatening Sona Mahapatra for making a music video of a Amir Khusrau ‘ Geet . These mullas should know that Amir Khusrau belongs to every Indian . He is not your property .
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) May 1, 2018
The video’s description on YouTube says that Mohapatra is seen “in unique earthy incarnations of the feminine divine from different cultures”. It says Facebook followers picked the looks featured in the video as a “collaborative audience interactive project”.
The Sufi Madariya foundation has also called me a ‘regular offender’ & says that they find another five year old Video of me singing a Sufiana Kalam - Piya Se Naina on coke studio insulting Islam because I’m ‘dressed exposing my body’ & playing westernised music. @MumbaiPolice
— SONA (@sonamohapatra) April 30, 2018
In a series of tweets, Mohapatra said on Monday that the Madariya Sufi Foundation, “along with the agreement of the Nizamuddin Dargah”, had a problem with the description and the “sleeveless dress and body-exposing dancers” in the video.
“Basically [a problem] with everything woman [and] free,” she wrote. “Why is it that in this day [and] age the women [are] expected to cover up, not sing or dance in public?”
The Madariya foundation along with the agreement of the Nizamuddin Dargah have an issue with the description of my Tori Surat music video, “earthy incarnations of the feminine Divine” & with “a sleeveless dress and body exposing dancers”. Basically with everything woman & free.
— SONA (@sonamohapatra) April 30, 2018
Dear @MumbaiPolice the Madariya Sufi foundation claims to work for Sufism,peace & universal brotherhood in their threatening notice to me. I ask you & #India ,what about the ‘sisterhood’?Why is it that in this day & age the women expected to cover up, not sing or dance in public
— SONA (@sonamohapatra) April 30, 2018
Mohapatra tweeted later that the Mumbai Police were in touch with her and had handled the matter in a “very mature and considered manner”.
They are & in a very mature & considered manner. I’m grateful. 🙏🏽🔴 https://t.co/JDX08Svxtb
— SONA (@sonamohapatra) April 30, 2018