With the #MeToo movement taking over the Indian film industry, we have seen several women calling out the misdemeanours of powerful men. With more and more revelations, the movement has now garnered a broad support base. The latest to lend her voice to the movement is Bindu Subramaniam. The singer has extended support to the #MeToo wave, in her own unique way. Bindu Subramaniam has paired with her violinist-and-singer brother Ambi Subramaniam and made a statement through their song - Stargazer.
This song is about that quiet resilience and about survivors needing to know they aren’t alone.
The song and the statement
"Stargazer, for me, is a song about resilience," Bindu says. "It’s a song for anyone who’s suffered. It’s a deeply personal song," she added.
The track, which is releasing soon, has Bindu singing, Ambi playing the cello for the first time (instead of the violin). Supported by acoustic guitar and drums, it has a black and white video.
On asking what prompted her to write the song, Bindu explained, "When my brother Ambi and I decided to release Stargazer as a song by our band SubraMania, it was just an honest expression of what we felt."
Here's an excerpt from the song:
"The world is rough
You lost your innocence
They took your trust
But you’re a stargazer baby
You’re a stargazer to me
You’re a stargazer baby
You’re a stargazer to me"
Explaining the meaning of the song, Bindu shared, "There is so much hurt and anger all around, but there’s also a quiet resilience that we see. We’ve always been resilient - and we’ve always been there to support each other. This song is about that quiet resilience and about survivors needing to know they aren’t alone."
On #MeToo
We further asked her with more and more women calling out harassment, how does a singer in the industry feel, in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement? "It’s very sad to see that the imbalance of power in any industry can lead to manipulation and damage. Being an insider or an outsider in a particular industry is irrelevant. And although some industries get more attention than the others, the sad truth is that this sort of abuse is everywhere from glamourous industries to corporate India, and it needs to be stopped everywhere," she expressed.
"Under the arch of heaven
Follow the open heart sky
Don’t let this life pass you by
Don’t let this like pass you by
You aren't alone tonight
You aren’t alone tonight"
While sharing her thoughts on how the movement has made positive changes, Bindu said, "The #MeToo movement is moving us towards more transparency and less tolerance for transgressions - that’s very important."
The daughter of veteran violinist L Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurthy, Bindu is now focussed on growing an academy in Bangalore that teaches music to children.
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