Guru Randhawa’s new music video for his recently released song ‘Azul’ has caught attention of many due to its problematic portrayal of young schoolgirls. The video features Randhawa as a photographer at an all-girls school and turns the innocent scenario into a controversial portrayal of grooming.
The public discourse took a new turn after a news publication took to Instagram to highlight how the music video sexualizes the girls and compares them to several alcohol brands. Many women have since called out the singer, arguing that the video promotes depiction of minors in a very undermining way. Even though the actresses were dressed up as school-aged, the theme followed in the music video was troubling for many.
The video’s storyline shows Randhawa portraying a teacher-like figure, intently observing a teenage girl. The narrative showcased visually becomes worrying with the visual shifting to show the young girl performing while Randhawa’s character admires her.
Critics argue that disseminating a romanticised version of a teacher-student relationship is an irresponsible move. In a country where conversations about consent, power dynamics, and gender safety are critical, social commentators have pointed out that this depiction normalises the real-life cases of grooming faced by the younger generation.
Written and composed by Randhawa himself, with contributions from Gurjit Gill, the song has intended to blend Punjabi lyrics with a lively mood. The lyrics have been heavily criticised as well for comparing the girl’s beauty to whiskey and champagne. This has further fueled the argument that the video commercialises the young women it has portrayed.
