A R Rahman’s ‘Hosanna’ song in Hindi Film ‘Ekk Deewana Tha’ to be released on February 17, 2012, has already sounded a discordant note among Jews and Christians.
The Catholic-Christian Secular Forum (CSF) has taken strong exception to the song. It has also taken up the issue with the authorities concerned to have the song withdrawn. The CSF will launch a public agitation if its request to have the song withdrawn is not heeded.
In a complaint to the music director, besides others concerned like Fox Star Studio and Sony Music, the CSF has demanded an apology for including the song in the film and urged the authorities to act, as it has hurt not only Christian, but also Jewish religious sentiments, Hosanna being a prayer for both communities.
According to Joseph Dias, CSF general secretary, “We are not going into the lyrics or vulgar picturization of the song, which is also objectionable. But, we would like to point out that internationally Hosanna is a prayer in the Bible and used by both Jews and Christians, referring to God or Jesus Christ, with strong reverential and religious connotations. The CSF points out that in both these religions, Hosanna is used as follows:
Judaism: ‘Hoshana’ is a Hebrew word meaning please save or save now. In Jewish liturgy, the word is applied specifically to the Hoshana Service, a cycle of prayers from which a selection is sung each morning during Sukkot, the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles. The complete cycle is sung on the seventh day of the festival, which is called Hoshana Rabbah ‘Great Hosanna’.
Christianity: ‘Hosanna’ in Greek is the cry of praise or adoration of God, shouted in recognition of the Messiahship of Jesus on his entry into Jerusalem – Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! It is used in the same way in Christian praise. Overall, it seems that ‘Hosanna’ is a cry for salvation – God who saves; while at the same time is a declaration of praise of God and is used with great reverence to Him.
“Hence, to use it in a movie where the boy falls in love with a girl – who belongs to an orthodox Malayali Christian family where watching movies, partying or falling in love are completely taboo – is mocking and ridiculing the faith of the person. This has hurt religious sentiments and insulted Christian and Jewish beliefs.
“If you would not use Islamic, Hindu or prayers from any other religion in pop secular music, then why do you use Hosanna in a carnal love song of a movie? It trivialises a word that is sacred and uttered with respect by followers of both Christian and Jewish faiths and hence needs to be stopped immediately,” Dias added.
CFS can be contacted at csfpost [at] gmail [dot] com | Website: www.thecsf.org
