Mukkabaaz song: 'Bahut Hua Samman' an anthem for rebellious times

Director Anurag Kashyap's Mukkabaaz might turn out to be a very different film. While the trailer captured the story of an underdog fighting caste oppression, patriarchy, and society through boxing, the songs are proving to be a real delight. The second song from the film, 'Bahut Hua Samman', keeps with the eclectic and earthy tone set by the film. 

Sung by Swaroop Khan, the song is a call to rebel against the status quo. The film sees Shravan Kumar Singh (Vineet Singh) go up against the caste powered politics of Bhagwan Das Mishra (Jimmy Shergill). The song, with lyrics by Hussain Haidry, is a spunky one. The lyricist uses contrasts to show how society's rules are often contradictory (Munh par kaali pothe bole saj ke dikha/ They blacken my face and ask me to look pretty).

From the insults heaped upon Shravan to the oppression faced by the character, the song outlines the struggle of a man refusing to accept the rules laid before him. Even as he has to submit to doing menial jobs as a government employee, Shravan refuses to give up on the boxing dream and fights on. The song, incidentally, arrives a day after Dalit protestors rose up to bring the city of Mumbai to a halt.

The composition by Rachit Arora again teeters towards a very earthy mix of orchestral music and powerful rhythm and bass. The simple progression of beats ensures that the lyrics are not overpowered, and deliver the right punches. Khan's voice and emotive variation add to the experience of the song. 

Mukkabaaz is set to be released on 12 January.