Bhojpuri Industry Deserves Better: Let’s Celebrate Its Good Side, Not Just the Vulgar Songs

Neha Kumari
Jul 14
3 min read

Updated: Jul 15

The Bhojpuri industry is more than just vulgar songs. Discover its rich culture, emotional storytelling, and the real artists trying to change the narrative.

What do you think of when someone mentions the term Bhojpuri?

It is most likely a viral reel that has loud music and colloquial lyrics.

However, here is the thing; this is only one half of the Bhojpuri industry. And not the most important.

Item Songs Are Not The Only Existence of Bhojpuri Cinema

Of course there is vulgarity in Bhojpuri film and music-there also exists vulgarity in each and every industry.

There are cringe in each region.

However, regrettably Bhojpuri is left with only its inferior aspects.

We do not remember that even in this industry there have been some heart touching movies, inspiring folk songs, and actual tales or story about rural India.

It deserves respect—not just ridicule.

Beauty of Bhojpuri Music and Folk Culture

Bhojpuri folksongs were full of tradition and were emotional before the takeover of autotune and the remix culture.

Sohar (songs played at the time of child birth), Vivaah geet (wedding songs), Chhath geet (religious songs) all these are immersed into culture.

These were celebration, pain, migration, love, and devotion songs.

They narrated about the actual persons and rural life.

However, social media promotes mostly the vulgar ones, given the fact that controversies sell more than culture.

Producers, Directors and Artists Who Are Good

There are amazingly gifted performers in the Bhojpuri industry who are attempting to re-write the story.

Other actors such as Pawan Singh, Dinesh Lal Yadav (Nirahua), Rani Chatterjee and Khesari Lal Yadav have been in good family friendly films as well.

However, such movies do not go viral- there is no clickbait in them.

Independent makers and local filmmakers who employ Bhojpuri to narrate real raw stories an instance where one can talk of migration, poverty, women issues and caste struggles also exits.

They should be accorded the audience and respect deserving them.

It is Not the Problem of Bhojpuri- What Gets Promoted Is the Problem

The problem does not lie in the culture or the language.

That is, the vulgar songs are favored to appear on the top due to rapid views.

The music labels are interested in quantity and not in quality.

Exploitation wins over content.

And gradually that is what the whole of the industry sees in the eyes of people.

Audience Has a Part To Play As Well

We laugh, we judge, we share those cringe songs, and do we even have an excuse to be quiet?

But do we as many really promote good Bhojpuri work?

One cannot lament about vulgarity when he neglects the art.

We should imagine that we want change, so we should stand behind clean content, suggest good movies, and encourage Bhojpuri artists that do meaningful things.

Due to the fact that the artists emerge according to what we watch.

It is Time to Change the Story

There is so much in the Bhojpuri industry:

Realistic cinema
Folk soulful music
Culture traditions
Raw-Emotional country narrations
It should have a place that is not 100 percent on the basis of YouTube views but actual appreciation.
Let us treat Bhojpuri movie and music equally as we do to Marathi, Bengali or Malayalam content.
Not less it is indeed: but it is not understood and underrated.