FLASHBACK 1993: Censor, Choli & Chaos!!

Circa 1993- the entire film industry was flabbergasted by the highly provocative song Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai from Subhash Ghai’s magnum opus Khalnayak(1993). The suggestive lyrics were labelled crass, vulgar and demeaning. The dance steps were adjudged below the belt and a universal ban was suggested strongly by some industry insiders, Mahila morchas and certain “progressive” parties of the time. 

Subhash Ghai known as the showman of the film industry was already a veteran by 1993 and defended the song with points like;

1. The situation demanded a song like that where the heroine is seducing the villain. 

2. The song begins with Choli Ke peeche kya hai but is answered with choli Mein dil hai Mera. So no vulgarity. 

3. Lyricist like Anand Bakshi and music composers Laxmikant Pyarelal being veterans wouldn’t stoop low

Ghai’s defence wasn’t accepted by the protestors who demanded the song being scrapped at any cost. While Ghai was adamant that the song was an integral part of his movie. Within the film fraternity itself people took sides while most preferred staying diplomatic. Veteran actress Asha Parekh and actor Shatrughan Sinha condemned the song calling it vulgar while Moushumi Chatterji went a step ahead and declared if you ask me choli Ke peeche kya hai you need to first tell me pant Ke peeche kya hai? 

Choreographed by ace dance master Saroj Khan, the steps weren’t vulgar at any given shot in the final print. Suggestive and seductive, definitely yes but not vulgar. The lyrics could’ve been interpreted in a vulgar manner but Ghai had a point with the second line of the song. One also gets to listen to such raunchy naughty teasing songs in Indian folk music and that passes off as tradition and culture. 

The censor board chief veteran film maker Shakti Samanta was apparently suffering from sleepless nights over this blown out of proportion controversy, while the public at large lapped up the song which became the biggest chartbuster that year topping all music charts and the album selling like hot cakes. Ghai not one to succumb to pressure so easily very shrewdly managed to convince the censors and the song was passed without any cuts in the final print. I personally feel Khalnayak was a below average dull movie but the public at that time had a different view for sure, partly the craze of the leading hero Sanjay Dutt and partly this song. 

So Ghai won and the protestors lost, strange but the protestors miraculously vanished after the movie’s success. Finally Khalnayak turned out to be a blockbuster, second highest grossing movie in 1993. Ghai laughed all the way to the box office cash registers sparkling with bumper profits. Singers Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun jointly won the Filmfare best playback singer award for the song. While Saroj won the Filmfare best choreographer award, Bakshi was nominated for the song but didn’t win. 

Maybe just like those 1993 protestors if we have a second glance at this iconic song we realise it’s not vulgar at all, written beautifully, sung so melodiously with a hint of naughtiness and choreographed aesthetically where was the space for vulgarity? On screen both Neena Gupta & Madhuri Dixit exploded with super energy and sensuality making it an all time ‘blockbuster song’. But the Choli did create chaos at the censors in 1993!