The life of a person can be changed anytime and at any moment. That’s what happened with Bhuban Badyakar, the peanut seller who used to sing Kacha Badam to sell the peanuts.
Someone recorded him and uploaded it on the internet, and he became a viral sensation. He became so popular that he even bagged a song with rapper Badshah. He was even lauded by the West Bengal Police. But was he just another one-hit wonder just like Baspan ka Pyar kid?
One year later, Bhuban Badyakar is crying for help. The song that made him popular and got him his own house has become the reason for his exit from his village. He is struggling to make ends meet.
“It has been many months since I left my village. I am living on rent in a house in Dubrajpur. A lot of money goes into rent every month. Whereas earning is not being done from anywhere. I do not know for how long this work will be able to go on. I got a new house built in the village. But I am not able to live in that house. The song ‘Kachha Badam’ made me popular. But now because of that song, I am away from my home,”
he told Aaj Tak Bangla in an interview.
What happened to Kacha Badam singer Bhuban Badyakar?
Bhuban cannot even sing his song. He has been cheated by someone, he claims and now is struggling to earn a decent living by doing small jobs that fetch him a few thousand rupees a month.
“I don’t know how many days this will go on,” he choked up as he said this. Bhuban cried as he revealed the copyright-related issue.
The singer said that someone stole the copyright by cheating him. He said that a Birbhum-based company and its owner deceived him in the name of Indian Performing Right Society Limited (IPRS).
They paid him Rs 3 lakhs for allegedly sharing his song on YouTube. He didn’t know he signing on a paper that sold away his copyright.
“I am not educated and I don’t even know how to read English. Now, they are telling me that they bought my song. I cannot even reach them over the phone now.”
Due to copyright infringement, he is unable to sing and upload his songs online.
He was forced to leave his village as people were trying to extort money from him.
After Kachha Badam became a hit, people in his village would ask him for money. When Bhuban refused, he would get threats. Eventually, Bhuban had to leave his house and run away with his family. Now, he is living in a rented house.
Meanwhile, a case has been filed in court against a person named Gopal in the matter. The officer-in-charge at Dubrajpur police station reportedly said that Bhuban was called to the police station many times with the papers of the agreement, but he did not come. The investigation can only begin after that.
