Guru Randhawa breaks silence with cryptic note after ‘Azul’ controversy

The young girls are objectified and compared to different types of alcohol in what should have been a normal, innocent moment that is instead presented as a sexualised fantasy.

Singer Guru Randhawa’s latest track Azul has landed him in serious controversy for its troubling portrayal of schoolgirls. The music video shows Randhawa as a photographer visiting an all-girls school for their class photo.

The young girls are objectified and compared to different types of alcohol in what should have been a normal, innocent moment that is instead presented as a sexualised fantasy.

Many women and internet users have quickly criticised the video for being "pornographic, problematic, and dangerous." Even though the actors in the video are adults portraying school-age girls, a number of online voices have emphasised how the song's concept normalises harassment and the sexualisation of minors.

The criticism points to a larger issue of representation in popular culture, where such imagery risks reinforcing harmful attitudes toward young girls.

Amid the outrage, Randhawa took to Instagram and shared cryptic notes that caught attention. In Punjabi, he wrote: “When I tried making everyone happy, I was sad. Today, when I am happy, everyone else is sad. God.” The singer had earlier posted another message celebrating the track, saying: “Azul is Azuling. When God is with you, you only move forward.”

The posts appeared to show both appreciation for the song's popularity and disinterest in the unfavourable responses, even though he refrained from directly responding to the criticism. Additionally, he has limited public responses by restricting his Instagram comment section.

To make matters worse, Guru Randhawa is currently dealing with new legal issues. According to reports, a Ludhiana court summoned him for his song Sirra after a local resident claimed that the song contained "derogatory, drug-related lyrics." This adds to the ongoing indignation surrounding Azul and puts the singer under increasing scrutiny.

For many critics, the issue lies not only with Azul’s lyrics and visuals but with the disturbing message it spreads—turning a familiar school memory into a hypersexualised spectacle. The controversy underscores the growing demand for accountability in the music industry, especially when artistic choices risk perpetuating damaging stereotypes about women and minors.