MUMBAI — Singer Guru Randhawa has posted a cryptic note on his Instagram Stories in the wake of mounting backlash for his latest song, “Azul.” The track has been heavily criticized for allegedly sexualizing schoolgirls and romanticizing an inappropriate teacher-student relationship in its music video.
In a post written in Punjabi, Randhawa conveyed his current state of mind. He wrote, “Jado mein sab nu khush karn lagga, dukhi ho gya. Ajj mein khud khush hann, sab dukhi ho gaye. (When I tried making everyone happy, I was sad. Today, when I am happy, everyone else is sad).” He ended the message with a red heart emoji and the word “God,” suggesting he is finding solace in his own happiness despite the public outcry.
This is the second recent cryptic message from the singer. Earlier, he had shared a screenshot of “Azul’s” trending status, writing, “Azul is Azuling. When God is with you, you only move forward,” as a way of celebrating the song’s commercial success while not directly addressing the controversy.
The music video for “Azul” features Randhawa as a photography teacher at a girls’ school. The controversy stems from a scene where a student, played by actor Anshika Pandey, performs a dance sequence that leaves Randhawa’s character mesmerized. Critics have slammed the video for its problematic undertones, with many on social media and even some celebrities expressing concern about the “sexualization of minors” and “pedophilic” themes.
The backlash over “Azul” is not the only issue facing the singer. A local court in Ludhiana has summoned Randhawa over his song “Sirra,” following a complaint filed by a resident who objects to the lyrics. The complainant, Rajdeep Singh Mann, argues that the lines “We are the sons of Jatts. We got opium as our first food when we were born” promote drug culture and defame the Jatt community. The court has directed Randhawa to appear either in person or through a counsel for an examination of the complaint on September 2.
Randhawa has not yet released an official statement on either controversy and has reportedly restricted comments on his Instagram posts.