Punjabi pop singers in controversies, pressure to reject them increases
These days, there is a debate going on over the lyrics of the Punjabi songs being sung by the youth. There are demands for ban on these songs glorifying drugs, alcohol, weapons, violence, obscenity and Khalistan. This pressure is the highest on Diljit Dosanjh, who gained international recognition in 2018 with the tremendous success of a song like “Aar Nanak-Paar Nanak” in praise of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Recently, before a live concert in Hyderabad, the Telangana government issued a written notice to Diljit Dosanjh asking him not to sing songs like ‘Patiala Paig La Chhaddi Da’ and ‘Panj Tara’, but Dosanjh sang these songs by mixing the words.
After this, in December also, Diljit had to face a similar situation in Chandigarh, in which Punjab and Haryana High Court had imposed three conditions before his concert, the show would have to end by 10 pm, the sound should not be above 75 decibels. And the administration will make security and traffic arrangements.
Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights had also instructed the organizers not to sing controversial songs before Diljit’s concert. Speaking to Outlook, Commission Chairperson Shipra Bansal said, “Even before Karan Aujla’s concert, we had issued instructions not to sing songs with controversial words and not involve children in dancing with the singer on stage. But Aujla had violated it. Therefore, the same instructions were issued for Diljit also.
There has been a tradition of such songs in Punjabi. Many Punjabi singers have gained immense fame through controversial songs. However, many singers have lost their lives because of such songs. These include names like Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu Moosewala and Amrik Singh Chamkila. Along with Diljit, AP Dhillon and Karan Aujla, who came to India from Canada these days, are also popular among the youth because of such songs. Both are going to perform dozens of live shows in India.
MP Dhillon
Punjabi music, which till the 70s and 80s was known for Sufi words and melodies based around family relationships, cultural heritage, gurus, fakirs and prophets, is now filled with emotions like weapons and alcohol. There was a time in Punjabi folk songs when artists like Shiv Kumar Batalvi, Surinder Kaur, Gurdas Maan and Hansraj Hans were dominant. These people had united the families with their Sufi singing. But as times changed, the nature of Punjabi music also changed. Then gradually the atmosphere of Punjab changed and its effect became clearly visible on music also. The lyrics of a song promoting violence in the recent film Animal, “Khadd vich daang khadke jadon ho gayi ladke bhari” are just one example of this trend. However, folk singer Prem Dhillon, who had been singing this song in cultural programs and fairs of Punjab for years, came into public notice after this song was included in the film.
Bhangra and fusion songs gained popularity in the 1990s. In the 2000s, artists like Honey Singh and Badshah attracted the youth by presenting drugs and alcohol as the ‘cool factor’ in party culture songs.
From Bhangra, romantic songs and pop-folk music mix to trending hip-hop beats, the Punjabi music industry has even influenced Hollywood. According to Sufi singer Anoop Kumar, the senior member of Kumar Bandhu, “In recent years, serious questions have started being raised on Punjabi singing glorifying drugs, alcohol, weapons, gangsters and Khalistan. Open promotion of weapons and violence in the lyrics of songs not only affects the social fabric but also promotes crime. Even big names like Gurdas Maan, who is called the father of Punjabi music industry, are now being questioned.”
Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot by a gangster two years ago, was accused of promoting pro-Khalistan ideology. Moosewala’s songs not only glorified weapons and gangster culture. This made it a matter of debate whether music is just entertainment or it is also becoming a medium to influence ideologies.
Critics and fans have been divided into two factions in this controversy. Punjabi film analyst and senior journalist Baljit Balli considers it only an expression of art, while Professor Pandit Rao Dharenwar, an educationist associated with Punjab University, considers it insensitive and promoting crime, violence and obscenity in the society.
