Mumbai Rains: Here's why citizens are singing #BMCscrewedMe

Aadar Malik shared some of the responses from Mumbaikars on his social media

Versova-based comedian and musician Aadar Malik's latest video upload on his YouTube Channel seems to be winning hearts of Mumbaikars of all ages. The song, 'BMC, you screwed me', not only explicitly slams the civic body, but also has a catchy tune that is bound to have you humming while you sidestep puddles and potholes on the roads of Mumbai.

Although the 30-year-old musician-comedian wrote the song nearly three years ago and has performed it at his shows every monsoon, it exploded on social media recently, after he uploaded the track to his Youtube Channel 'The Aadar Guy' on July 15. In less than two days, the video had already garnered 22,000 views. In a true demonstration of how the track has resonated with pothole-weary citizens, Mumbaikars are now sending Malik pictures of potholes in their neighbourhood, tagged with #BMCscrewedme.

Aadar Malik

'Nothing has changed'
"During the 26/7 floods, my dad's car was gone and he was stuck, while some of my other friends were stuck at a different place; the song really just stemmed from these experiences," he said, speaking with mid-day.

"Even though I wrote the song three years ago, the sad thing is that even after all this time, it is still as relevant as ever. I've not had to change a single line. It gets the same kind of response year after year, proving that clearly there is a lot of frustration here," he added.

A suburban Mumbaikar through and through, Malik studied at Utpal Sanghvi School, and has experienced first-hand the wrath of Mumbai rains and the apathy of the civic body. So much so that he, like every other Mumbaikar, grew immune to the Corporation's negligence over time. That is, until this song was released. While the lyrics are loaded with profanity, they are a heartfelt expression of one's feelings towards the BMC.

Rooted in anger
"The first draft of the song was way harsher, it came from a place of extreme anger. The current version is toned down. I had to take a step back and channel the anger into humour. In my head, I don't think a song or a joke can bring about social change, but even if it creates some basic amount of awareness, I will consider my job done. Sometimes, the audience joins in and sings the song with you, which makes you realise that there is a real problem out there that doesn't seem to go away," said the stand-up comic.

Malik is currently working on a music album that will come out at the end of the month. In the meanwhile, he hopes the authorities will focus on what's important. "The last time someone did a song on the BMC, they responded with a song as well. Fix the problem instead of writing poetry. I am the clown here, not you."

Also read: Mumbai Rains: Fed up with potholes? Here's what you can do, according to Bombay High Court

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