Salman Khan’s ‘Chotu Motu’ song in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan draws criticism from Early Childhood Association

Salman Khan’s latest movie, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, has been mired in controversy since its release. The film has been criticized for its blatant sexism, unruly narrative, and poor reviews. Adding to the list of concerns, the Early Childhood Association (ECA) has now issued an open letter against the ‘senseless usage of nursery rhymes’ in Bollywood songs, mentioning the song ‘Let’s Dance Chotu Motu’ from Salman’s movie, which is sung by Yo Yo Honey Singh and Neha Bhasin.

The song ‘Let’s Dance Chotu Motu’ features Salman and other actors from the movie dancing to a medley of nursery rhymes like ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,’ ‘Jack and Jill,’ and ‘Humpty Dumpty.’ However, the purpose of using these rhymes and why the actors are using them as the celebratory number remains unclear. In totality, the song appears to be unnecessary and could have been avoided.

In its open letter addressed to ‘all lyricists and music directors,’ the ECA mentions that Bollywood should stop using kids’ rhymes to get attention for their films. They highlight how most of these rhymes are not celebratory and don’t include a sense of empathy. Instead, they mock the vulnerability of others. A part of the letter reads: “The curriculum focusses on empathy, and yet you have songs like Humpty Dumpty and Jack and Jill, who have fallen, and instead of feeling sad for them, here they are all dancing and happy. What message are we sending to children about empathy, caring, and other socio-emotional development?”

The ECA further mentions that most lyricists and music directors are not aware that these rhymes are not nursery rhymes but are snide songs used to comment on rivals and kings. For instance, Humpty Dumpty is about King Richard III, who was supposed to be humpbacked and defeated in a battle in 1485.

The association highlights Salman Khan’s influential personality and popularity among children and urges him to think before ‘glorifying’ something that is dated. “At a time when parents and schools are trying to move away from these senseless age-old rhymes, here comes a movie that glorifies it! Salman Khan has a huge fan following among children. It means that these senseless rhymes are going to be played by moms as they feed their children and in birthday parties,” the letter reads.

The Early Childhood Association is an Indian association for primary education and research. It is run by teachers, businessmen and women, authors, and other experts in the education sectors to empower parents and children to educate them about the holistic development of kids.

The criticism against Salman Khan’s ‘Chotu Motu’ song in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan is valid, as it highlights the need for Bollywood to be more mindful of the messages they send to children. While the controversy may have started with the use of nursery rhymes, the issues with the movie go beyond that. It is high time that Bollywood takes responsibility for its content and sets better examples for society.