Coke Studio Bangla’s latest Season 4 release, ‘Megh’, has triggered widespread criticism on social media over its use of excerpts from Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s iconic poem ‘Sonar Tori’, with many writers, musicians and cultural figures accusing the production of misrepresenting the poem’s essence.
Released recently as part of the platform’s fourth season, ‘Megh’ blends classical music with contemporary arrangements. The song features collaborations between Shayan Chowdhury Arnob and classical vocalist-composer Mohammad Shoaib, with vocals by Masha Islam, Mohammad Shoeb and Mousumi. However, its incorporation of portions of ‘Sonar Tori’ has become the centre of a growing public debate.
Critics argue that the poem, widely regarded as a symbolic meditation on life, human achievement and the inevitability of loss, has been used merely to evoke a monsoon atmosphere, overlooking its deeper philosophical meaning.
The criticism has spread beyond Facebook to YouTube, where the song has attracted nearly 4,000 comments, a significant number of which express disappointment with the adaptation.
Prominent writer Anisul Hoque wrote on Facebook that the creators had failed to understand the poem. While expressing support for artistic experimentation, he described the adaptation as a “tragic failure,” symbolically rating it “minus 10 out of 10.”
Facebook user Ahmed Muhaimin argued that ‘Sonar Tori’ is not a poem about the rainy season but rather a metaphorical reflection on life, accomplishments and the passage of time. He suggested that the work would have been better presented as a recitation instead of being adapted into a fast-paced musical composition.
Singer Mehjabeen Tanha also criticised the production in a satirical Facebook post, writing that Tagore would have suffered “a second heart attack” after hearing ‘Sonar Tori’, referring to an earlier controversy surrounding Coke Studio Bangla’s rendition of Kazi Nazrul Islam’s ‘Room Jhoom’. She urged the platform to refrain from similarly reinterpreting other literary classics.
Journalist and theatre activist Pavel Islam commented that the poem appeared to have been forced into a modern musical framework, while another social media user, writing under the name Jhorer Pakhi, alleged that the adaptation lacked the sensitivity required when engaging with Tagore’s literary legacy.
Questions have also been raised about the musical direction of Arnob, who serves as the music curator of Coke Studio Bangla. Poet Rumman Mahmud said the poem’s rapid-tempo adaptation failed to capture either the intensity of the composition or the original spirit of Tagore’s work, while also calling for greater opportunities for emerging composers on the platform.
Poet Shuvo Islam described the song as “immature” and “extremely poor in quality.” Another listener, using the name Rupok Maverick Rupai, argued that Coke Studio Bangla appeared to be repeating a familiar musical formula and compromising originality through what he described as unnecessary fusions, despite the richness of Bangla music.
The reactions suggest that although many listeners support artistic experimentation, a considerable section of audiences, literary enthusiasts and cultural figures believe the adaptation of ‘Sonar Tori’ in ‘Megh’ falls short of respecting the poem’s original meaning and artistic significance.
Coke Studio Bangla, music curator Shayan Chowdhury Arnob and the artists involved had not issued any official statement on the controversy as of Tuesday.
