Bollywood and pop music fans are buzzing after singer Sona Mohapatra openly slammed rapper Badshah over his latest track, ‘Tateeree’. Sona didn’t hold back on Instagram, calling out the rapper for what she sees as the same tired, misogynistic tropes in pop music.
Sona’s post was sharp and unfiltered. She wrote that the song followed a pattern she’s seen “not the first time,” where a male performer flexes his masculinity, objectifies women, and casts himself as an irresistible hero while women exist merely as props.
She mocked the lyrical swagger in tracks like this, describing it as “’tu mujhpe marti hai, mujhpe jaan chidakti hai’ type of flights of rubbish swag.” According to Sona, this represents “the laziest trope in pop culture,” not genuine creativity.
She also hit back at the cultural excuse some artists use. “And just calling yourself a ‘son of Haryana’ with a sad face doesn’t cut it,” she wrote, pointing out the serious gender issues in Haryana, including poor gender ratios, violence against women, and honour killings.
“Artists shape imagination,” she added. “You can challenge misogyny or profit from it. BADSHAH & this lot, do better. & those of you fashion victim wannabes paying for this shit… grow a brain or a soul?”
Her post concluded with a pointed jab at the video’s use of young girls: “& now young girls in uniforms as props … Stop with this brain & soul rot. #India deserves better.”
Controversy over the music video
The backlash against ‘Tateeree’ escalated when the Haryana State Women’s Commission issued a notice to Badshah, asking him to appear on March 13 to record his statement.
This came after complaints from Savita Arya, president of Nari Tu Narayani Sanstha, Panipat, and Shiv Kumar, head of Shiv Aarti Foundation.
The complaint raised concerns about the song’s lyrics, specifically the line “Aaya Badshah doli chaddhane, in sabki ghodi banane,” calling it filthy. The video also got criticism for showing minor girls in school uniforms boarding a Haryana Roadways bus while throwing their school bags.
Badshah finally responded on March 7, saying he is a proud Haryanvi and had no intention of portraying women or children negatively.