India, Pakistan Sing at Each Other
Indian outfit Aisi Taisi Democracy and a band led by an Army officer in Pakistan tackle subcontinent politics through poetry and music.
Musician Rahul Ram (Kunal Batra )
EVEN though the NSA-level talks between India and Pakistan have been called off, a different kind of dialogue has ensued on the internet. When the trio from stand-up act Aisi Taisi Democracy posted their song Mere saamne waali sarhad pe recently to promote the second season of their performance, it became an instant hit in the two countries and went on to even spawn its counterpart in Pakistan.
The song, available on YouTube, is part of a 90-minute act by stand-up comic Sanjay Rajoura, musician Rahul Ram (of Indian Ocean) and Varun Grover. Back on stage with new content, part two of Aisi Taisi Democracy takes potshots at all involved in shaping the current political landscape of India. “Humara desh humaare liye khud hi script likhta hai,” says Ram. “Modi suit, the Sardar Patel statue, Rahul Gandhi’s sabbatical, Swachch Bharat Aandolan, Kejriwal’s constant fighting with the centre, the FTII debacle… now that Mulayam Singh has made that atrocious rape comment, it might become part of the script. A fair amount of improvisation also happens,” says Rajoura.
The act is punctuated with a few songs, written keeping the political atmosphere in mind. There is I’m a Babri don that Ram wrote a few months ago, on right-wing intellectuals, set to the melody of the pop song I’m a Barbie girl.
Apart from political satire, there is also commentary on societal norms, family systems, social media websites, among other such topics. Rajoura’s piece on questioning one’s parents, albeit humourous, questions patriarchy. “These personal stories are deeply political. There is a wrapper around ‘family’ as a unit and that pushes patriarchy,” he says. Grover, on the other hand, will talk about the plight of couples who choose not to have children, as well as the rainbow-coloured display pictures on Facebook when the US court verdict about gay marriages was announced. “I also talk about porn, my memories of growing up and the porn ban,” says Grover, who wrote the critically acclaimed film Masaan.
With Grover in Mumbai, Ram and Rajoura in Delhi, a lot of their work happens on Skype and a WhatsApp group. There are no rehearsals that the three ever indulge in due to logistical reasons. “Luckily, we have the same politics and the same humour. It works,” says Ram.
Aisi Taisi Democracy will perform in Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi from September 7-10. Tickets are available on http://www.bookmyshow.com
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