A few days ago, Rupam Islam appeared on social media in an olive-green kurta, white dhoti and a weathered taupe chador slung across his shoulder. The departure from his familiar stage persona was too striking not to invite anticipation. For a fanbase accustomed to the black-clad, electrically charged figure who commands a stage with a microphone in hand and indignation in his voice, the transformation naturally led them to question: Has the rock rebel now taken on a new role? Sunday night arrived with the answer.
The new look belonged to Goopy Baghar Mauto, Rupam’s latest musical statement, released on his YouTube channel Rupam & Fossils as part of the Boroline Aaj Ebong Aagami project. Goopy Baghar Mauto has given the rebel identity a different setting, but no less urgent an expression. Rupam as mastermoshai (Udayan Pandit) is no authoritarian disciplinarian, demanding obedience for its own sake. He is an educator, someone who encourages young minds to interrogate authority, recognise the mechanics of domination and resist unquestioning conformity. It is a particularly pointed choice of character for an artiste who spent a significant part of his early career as a teacher. Former students still remember that chapter of his life with affection.
Goopy Baghar Mauto draws upon the familiar fictional universe of Hirak Rajar Deshe to examine the realities of the present, with Rupam borrowing from the political charge concealed within a story many might remember primarily for its fantasy, humour and music.
At the end of the Goopy Baghar Mauto video, Rupam’s Udayan Pandit steers the kids towards a confrontation with Hirak Raja and his minister. Musically, the track brings together Rupam’s melodious vocal force with Tushar Debnath, who has contributed as singer, guitarist and arranger. The children associated with the Boroline Aaj Ebong Aagami project have also lent their voices, expanding the song’s collective character.
Prasenjit “Pom” Chakrabutty has handled mixing and mastering. The familiar silhouette of Rupam remains recognisable beneath the new costume. His intensely piercing gaze remains and so does his remarkable moral compass. t2 chatted with Rupam on the making of the song and what it conveys.
For many of your fans, you are a rockstar. Goopy Baghar Mauto presents you in an entirely different avatar altogether. Did returning to the role of a teacher allow you to express something that the rockstar persona could not?
For most of my Ekok show listeners, the show is, in a way, a classroom. Many have even referred to me as ‘Udayan Pandit’. In fact, whenever they want to know when the next Ekok show is happening, they ask, “Pathshala kobe khulbe?” Perhaps it was this very thought that inspired Abhisek Chakraborty (conceiver and director of the project) to imagine me as Udayan Pandit while writing the script and directing the video. As for expressing something that the rockstar persona cannot, I believe that expression comes primarily through lyrics and music, irrespective of the role one inhabits. I wrote this song in January 1993. So the central idea behind it was ‘United we stand, divided we fall’. This basic education has stayed with me forever.
What made you feel that the language of Goopy and Bagha was particularly relevant to the world we inhabit today?
I think the message of Hirak Rajar Deshe has always been relevant. It was relevant when I wrote the song in January 1993, and it is equally relevant in October 2026. The world may have changed in many ways, but the forces that divide people, suppress independent thought and perpetuate hatred have not disappeared. That is precisely why the message continues to resonate.
Could you please take us through the production process?
This song is part of the project ‘Boroline Aaj Ebong Aagami’ by Kolkata Sukriti Foundation. The project has been going on for over a year now. We chose students from government and government-sponsored schools in and around Calcutta. I personally auditioned the kids and chose 32 singers in September 2025. Tushar Debnath trained these kids through weekly classes. We started recording in February 2026. We recorded two songs. Once the songs were ready, we asked Abhisek to make a video for this song. He wrote the script, and we shot it at Triguna Sen Auditorium, inside Jadavpur University.
As a songwriter, how do you navigate the line between making a political statement and creating music that resonates beyond a particular ideology, country or moment in history?
I was only 18 when I wrote this song. I don’t think I had the maturity then to consciously write a political song in the way one might understand the term today. But the song is undoubtedly anti-war, and its central message is that unity is the only way forward. I think that is what allows a song to transcend a particular ideology, country or moment in history. When you speak about the futility of war and the need for humanity to stand together, the message is universal.
Is the song’s primary target authoritarian rulers, the propaganda machinery they create, or our own willingness to be manipulated?
For me, it is about identifying our enemies and confronting them. And when I say “our”, I mean enemies of humanity at large. These enemies are the forces that perpetuate hatred, division and war. But confronting them does not necessarily mean perpetuating another cycle of hatred. It also means trying to change their mindset — to make the warmongers understand that humanity has far more to gain from peace and unity than from conflict and division.
Does the single format offer you greater freedom to respond immediately to the social climate?
We have created two songs for the project, and both are anti-war in their message. The second song will also be released on streaming platforms. Together, they are part of a greater creative effort rather than an isolated musical statement.
Given your own experience as a teacher earlier in life and even today as a musician, something that truly sets you apart, how important was it to place children at the centre of this narrative?
The entire project is built around children. In a sense, I have joined in their song; I am a participant in something that fundamentally belongs to them. Children are central to this narrative because the world we are creating today is the world they will inherit tomorrow. Any conversation about war, hatred, division or the possibility of a better future must ultimately involve them.
In a world where propaganda can travel faster than reason, what do you believe music can realistically achieve?
Honestly, I don’t think music, by itself, can do much. Sometimes, we make music because we do not possess the same capacity to engage directly in the ground-level work that needs to be done. But that does not make music irrelevant.
Music can give courage and hope to people, including those who are actively working to change the world. Not everyone has the ability to participate directly in that work just as not everyone has the ability to make music. If our music can strengthen those who are out there doing the groundwork, then it serves a purpose. I can narrate an experience with Soumitra Chattopadhyay. At a felicitation ceremony after receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, he expressed concern about his own contribution to society.
Later in the same speech, however, he spoke about how many of the world’s problems arise from stress, and how cultural performances can help relieve that stress. By doing so, they can contribute to the well-being of society at large. I find that thought particularly meaningful. Art may not always change the world directly, but it can change the state of mind with which people confront the world. If my song offers someone emotional support, gives them courage, or even influences one person to think differently, I would consider that a success.
What made you choose Tushar Debnath for this project?
Tushar has been one of my favourite musicians in this industry for quite a while. I loved his work with his band Blood. He was the first person whose name came to my mind while working on this project.