Seer questions adaptation of folk song in movie

The song in praise of Male Mahadeshwara was used in the context of a violent scene

Salur Mutt seer Shanthamallikarjuna Swami has taken exception to the adaptation of a devotional folk song pertaining to the presiding deity of M.M. Hills temple shrine while portraying a violent scene in a Kannada movie.

The song “Sojugaada Sooju Mallige’’ has been rendered in folk form for centuries in praise of Male Mahadeshwara by the the tribals and devotees but it has been adapted in a scene related to murder which is questionable, said the seer. The song has been used in a recent Kannada movie ‘Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana’.

The seer said while it is common to adapt devotional and folk songs to suit a particular sequence, it has been portrayed while depicting a violent crime which amounts to distorting and abusing the cultural values enshrined in the original song.

Questioning the need for using a song originating in the M.M. Hills region in the context of depicting scenes from coastal Karnataka, the seer said the film director could have as well adapted a local song from the region that would be suitable to the context.

The seer also said that he was not seeking a formal apology from any quarter and nor would it serve any purpose. Regrets, if any, should stem from an individual borne out of realisation and conviction of one’s wrongdoing and not under duress or pressure.