Bollywood and Indi-pop songs are all the rage in political campaigns to extol the virtues of one party and to denigrate political rivals. But they can also serve another, more funnier purpose – political parody.
Much has been made on the comedy front of the BJP-led government’s decision to demonetise currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. A mini-cottage industry of parodies was built on the issue. But none set to Alisha Chinoy’s big hit from the 1990s, Made in India. Till now.
In their latest video, the Mumbai-based comedy group East India Comedy decided to sing a song “on the most important person in India right now” and how their feelings about him have changed since November 8.
Who knew that all of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies during the first three years of his tenure could go perfectly with the earworm of the 1990s? Everything from his frequent foreign trips, to the Swachh Bharat mission finds their way into the Modi Song – even a reworking of the catchy chorus to bring in the Ambani connection: “Make in India, Aur 4G free diya, Thanks to his good friends in Antilia”.
Another song during the performance was dedicated to the group’s “favourite person on television”. Having abandoned TV screens for some time, he gets the parody treatment via the “most romantic song in the world” – Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On. Unable to withhold their tears, the group belts out, “Every night on my screen, I see you, I hear you, even though my TV’s on mute.”
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