When it comes to Gen-Z, the line between dissent and entertainment blurs. Slogans like “Ek kachori, do samosa, inn mardon ka kya bharosa”; “Go Gyanu Go”, “Ek sutta, do chai, mard jaat haye haye” that stopped traffic on streets during the NEET, SIR and CEC protests have now got a second lease of life as viral audios, DJ remixes and dance-floor anthems in clubs, pubs and discos. (DC)

When it comes to Gen-Z, the line between dissent and entertainment blurs. Slogans like “Ek kachori, do samosa, inn mardon ka kya bharosa”; “Go Gyanu Go”, “Ek sutta, do chai, mard jaat haye haye” that stopped traffic on streets during the NEET, SIR and CEC protests have now got a second lease of life as viral audios, DJ remixes and dance-floor anthems in clubs, pubs and discos. Welcome to the protest remix era, where dissent doesn’t just take to the streets. It takes over your feed and feet!

The Beat Goes On

“Protest slogans are essentially hooks, they are designed to be remembered, repeated and shouted together.” says Carl La’Frenais, a Lead Content Innovation and journalist at Mathrubhumi. Carl believes the power of protest slogans lies in a combination of rhythm, repetition, humour and timing. As a musician, he points out that the simplest hooks are often the most powerful.

The real force behind these chants goes beyond their catchiness. It is emotion. Standing among young protesters on ground zero at Jantar Mantar, Shivaji Park, Aazad Maidan and August Kranti Maidan, thousands of people witnessed the frustration, anger, hope. “The slogans strike a chord because it the language of the aam janta – simple, direct and powerful,” says Nitin Desai, a social and cultural observer.

When thousands of voices rise together, the chant becomes more than a string of catchy phrases. It becomes a collective expression of what people feel but may struggle to articulate individually—a sound that carries the weight of dissent, but also the stubborn hope that things can change.

“You add a dash of Phonk bass, Afro-beats, Bollywood EDM mashups and Voila! You have an original catchy tune with witty lines. These protest beats are instant crowdpullers because everybody knows the lyrics,” says Maddy (name changed), a leading DJ from Mumbai. He cites latest protest beat hits like “Police Wailey Babu, Mujhe Danda Laga Do,” “Beat ko aur badha do, DJ, volume chadha do... jis gali mein darr tha, ab wahin pe dance bhi hoga.”

The Internet Plays Along!

But emotion alone does not make a slogan go viral. The internet needs a hook, and protest chants often come with one built in: a sharp punchline, an infectious rhythm or words that are impossible to forget. Add a beat, and a moment of collective anger can become the next reel soundtrack.

Then comes the meme era, where a two-line meme or a 10-second clip can stick longer than a thousand-word post.

Adarsh Rudrapratap Singh, a Political Commentator says, “For a lot of young people the first contact with a political movement is a meme, or a 10-15 second clip over a news report.” He believes humour can lower people’s guard and spark curiosity, but warns that the joke can sometimes become the entire story. “You know the chant and you know the dance, but you couldn’t say what the protest was asking for,” he points out. While discovery has moved to the feed, he says, genuine understanding has yet to catch up.

New Political Expression

On whether this marks a new form of political expression, Adarsh be-lieves it already does. Protest has always borrowed from popular culture, whether through Faiz’s Hum Dekhenge at the anti-CAA sit-ins or the Chilean feminist performance Un violador en tu camino, which was recreated across the world. What has changed, he says, is the format. Music and humour can reach audiences who might switch off at the first hint of a lecture.

A reel can make someone feel something in eight seconds—something a press release may struggle to achieve. But whether that feeling translates into a political position is another question. At the very least, he says, it opens a door that conventional activism often cannot.

Party Beats & Boots!

And sometimes, that door opens straight onto the dance floor. Internet personality Orry shared a party video featuring Khatron Ke Khiladi contestants Avinash Mishra, Rithvik Dhanjani and Farhana Bhatt, with the viral “Ek kachori, do samosa, in mardon ka kya bharosa” slogan playing in the background. The clip drew attention online, with other contestants, including Shagun Sharma and Ruhanika Dhawan, also appearing in the party footage.

A chant born out of women’s safety concerns had become party content. The slogan had travelled from the protest site to celebrity feeds. But the question is: had its message reached too?

Forgive, But Never Forget

Carl believes a slogan can mean different things to different people. For a protester, it may capture a deeply personal struggle; for someone scrolling through reels, it may symbolise resistance; and for a club-goer, it may simply be a great beat. As a musician, he finds the transformation fascinating rather than troubling. Music sparks curiosity. “I’d love for someone dancing to that track to eventually ask, ‘Where did this come from? Why were people chanting it?’” Because a slogan can travel thousands of miles from where it was first shouted. “The tragedy would be if its story got left behind,” he says.

Short Slogan, Long Life

A slogan can outlive the protest that gave it birth. It can cross feeds, fill dance floors and become an earworm for millions. But behind every catchy hook lies a story of anger, resistance or a demand to be heard. Give a listen to this protest mashup Kuchu-Puchu Istifa De Do, mixed into heavy Brazilian Phonk and Desi tracks. Point being, the beat may bring the slogan to the masses, but its meaning is what keeps it alive. And sometimes the best thing to do on a dance floor is to just shut-up and dance and join the joyful chorus of ‘Chal hat, It’s done Bro!”

Gen-Z Remix Hits

• Ek kachori, do samosa, inn mardon ka kya bharosa

• Go Gyanu Go!

• Ek sutta, do chai, mard jaat haye haye

• It’s Done Bro! Chal Hat

• Police Wailey Babu, Mujhe Danda Laga Do

• Kuchu-Puchu Istifa De Do

“For a lot of young people the first contact with a political movement is a meme, or a 10-15 second clip over a newsy report.”

— Adarsh Rudrapratap Singh, Political Commentator

“Protest slogans are essentially hooks, they are designed to be remembered, repeated and shouted together.”

— Carl La’Frenais, Lead Content Innovation & journalist, Mathrubhumi

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