New Delhi: Diljit Dosanjh has declared that he would stop singing about alcohol—but only if all states implement a liquor ban.
“Let’s start a movement… If every state in India becomes a dry state, from the very next day, I, Diljit Dosanjh, will stop singing songs about alcohol,” the singer told his fans during the Ahmedabad leg of his Dil-Luminati India tour on 17 November. “I’ve got another idea too—declare a dry day on the day I perform in any city, and I won’t sing any alcohol-related songs that day either.”
Dosanjh’s comments came in response to a legal notice from the Telangana government, which urged him not to promote alcohol, drugs, or violence in his music during his Hyderabad performance on 16 November.
The singer promptly adjusted his setlist in light of the notice, altering the lyrics of his chartbusters Lemonade and 5 Taara.
“Even today, I won’t sing songs about alcohol, because Gujarat is a dry state,” he reiterated at his Ahmedabad concert, expressing admiration for the Gujarat government’s ban on liquor. He called it a “step in the right direction”, and wished for it to be enforced in his hometown as well. The singer hails from Dosanjh Kalan in the Phillaur tehsil of Jalandhar, Punjab.
However, a nationwide liquor ban seems unlikely given the massive revenue generated by the alcohol industry. And it’s something Dosanjh pointed out in Ahmedabad. “Everything shut down during Covid-19, but liquor stores stayed open.”
‘Double standards’
Diljit Dosanjh also addressed the hypocrisy of those criticising his songs, pointing out that, while Bollywood is filled with countless songs about alcohol, his own repertoire includes just a handful.
“I’ve sung dozens of devotional songs. Just in the past 10 days, I released two more. But no one’s talking about them. Everyone on TV seems to care about Patiala Peg,” he said, clarifying that unlike many Bollywood stars, he does not endorse or advertise alcohol in his music.
He also recalled an instance where a news anchor suggested that if an actor encourages alcohol consumption, they risk their reputation, but when a singer does the same, they are celebrated.
“I’m not calling anyone personally to ask if they’ve had a ‘Patiala Peg’ or not,” he said, highlighting the absurdity of the criticism.
Dosanjh then confidently spoke about his ability to modify his songs: As someone who doesn’t drink, altering his lyrics to remove alcohol references is no challenge for him.
“I don’t drink alcohol. Hence, it’s very easy for me.”
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Tweaking songs
During his recent concert in Hyderabad, several videos emerged of Diljit Dosanjh cleverly altering the lyrics of his songs to comply with the Telangana government’s directive.
In one clip, while performing his popular track Lemonade, he modified a line from “Tainu teri daaru ch pasand aa Lemonade (you like alcohol in your lemonade)” to “Tainu teri coke ch pasand aa Lemonade (you like lemonade in your coke).” Similarly, in 5 Taara, he changed the line “5 Taara thekke (five-star liquor store)” to “5 Taara hotel (five-star hotel).”
Later, while interacting with his audience in Ahmedabad, Dosanjh made another pointed remark. “When an artist from abroad performs in India, there are no restrictions. But when an Indian artist performs, they put all these limitations,” he said.
Dosanjh also addressed the curiosity surrounding the overwhelming success of his concerts.
“Some people can’t seem to digest why such big shows are happening. How are these tickets selling out in two minutes? Bro, I’ve been working for years. I didn’t become famous overnight,” he said.
Diljit Dosanjh’s next concert is in Lucknow on 22 November.
Diljit Dosanjh is a Khalistani and has connections with dreaded Punjabi gangsters based out of Canada.
He is a threat to the nation.