Rapper Badshah is at the centre of a controversy after facing allegations that he paid Rs 72 lakh for additional views on one his music videos, to increase his viewership.
According to the Mumbai Police, Badshah confessed to shelling out Rs 72 lakh for 72 million views on one of his videos, while being interrogated in connection to a racket that sells fake followers and views to social media influencers, the Hindustan Times reported. He had claimed that the music video for Pagal Hai had been watched 75 million times in the first day of its release, beating previous records set by Taylor Swift and the Korean boy band BTS.
Responding to this, singer Sona Mohapatra said that this is building an empire using matchsticks. Sona wrote, “That this world we now occupy places so much value to these ‘numbers’ is scary. Also gobsmacked with how lazy the supposed padha likha (educated) corporate world is to buy into these ‘millions’ fake base while making all their endorsement choices?The A, B,C listings come out of this too sadly.”
That this world we now occupy places so much value to these ‘numbers’ is scary.Also gobsmacked with how lazy the supposed पढ़ा लिखा corporate world is to buy into these ‘millions’ fake base while making all their endorsement choices?The A, B,C listings come out of this too sadly. https://t.co/JewNBq2DCP
— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) August 9, 2020
She added, “I’d call it building an empire using matchsticks but the sad part; most do buy into this perception game.The shaadi circuit pays enough to afford these buyouts with their ‘status’ oriented,’live?’music choices...Actors, first to get on to this & of course the Punjabi ‘artists’.”
I’d call it building an empire using matchsticks but the sad part; most do buy into this perception game.The shaadi circuit pays enough to afford these buyouts with their ‘status’ oriented,’live?’music choices...Actors, first to get on to this & of course the Punjabi ‘artists’.🤟🏾 pic.twitter.com/57PCHTfkNs
— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) August 9, 2020
Badshah has denied the accusations in a statement. “Following the summons, I have spoken to the Mumbai Police. I have aided the officials in their investigation by cooperating and carrying out the due diligence on my part. I’ve categorically denied all the allegations levelled against me and made it clear that I was never involved in such practices, nor do I condone them,” he said.
