Breaking Borders: Diljit Dosanjh's Impact on Representing Punjabi Artists Globally
Written by: Dil Bola / Image from Andrew Chin/Getty Images
Diljit Dosanjh, once again, etched his name in history. This time we were privileged witnesses to his remarkable journey in person through his Dil-Luminati Tour, and also, closely on social media.
Diljit’s influence is global and it’s not stopping any time soonFor those who don’t know him, Diljit is not only a musician but a well known actor in both Panjabi and Hindi cinema. He has spent his career breaking the ever too common stereotypes of Sikh Panjabis within the Indian film industry — specifically those who wear a dastaar or turban. Breaking serious social and cultural stereotypes alongside his many talents make it apparent as to why Diljit continues to reach new heights of superstardom. Most recently, Dosanjh has acted in a new film, Chamkila, which albeit was controversial for many reasons including issues of domestic violence, still highlighted and explored the rising stardom of Panjabi and Dalit-identifying folk singer, Amarjit Chamkila. Among all opinions of the film and its background lies the issue of caste which the film intricately navigates and explores for the viewer to deduce the long lasting effects of casteism with a lens that explores the issue contemporarily and within the 1980s, when Chamkila rose to superstardom himself.
Last year, Dosanjh was the first Panjabi to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the first South Asian to play a set on their main stage. This was ground breaking for so many South Asian artists with dreams of doing the same. Amongst videos on YouTube and social media of the event was a crowd full of folks from all different backgrounds rocking it out to Diljit’s Bhangra tunes – invoking a sense of worldy and globalised culturemaking. Most recently, on April 27th, 2024, Diljit continued to expand his musical legacy and reach, performing for over 50,000 people in Vancouver, Canada. This time, Diljit broke records as the first Indian-origin and Panjabi musician to play this large of a show outside of India – he sold out BC Place Stadium to crowds full of not just youngsters, but varying Panjabi families including children and the elderly.
A Celebrity that other celebrities also adoreIt’s not just that Dosanjh breaks multiple records as he continues to make his mark across multiple industries, he also manages to create unforgettable experiences and melt hearts across people from various backgrounds and walks of life – often emulating the magic and unconditional love that is so unique to feel when he performs. Yet, as a contemporary pop icon, he also holds a place similar to Taylor Swift as a musician —– the musician that other celebrities obsess over. Diljit’s concerts are just as star studded as other mainstream chart breaking musicians who have had the créme de la créme of the entertainment industry pay for tickets just like us to watch her perform. In the same example, Swift’s had the likes of Jessica Chastain, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Goldblum and many more.
Similarly, Dosanjh has actors, businessmen, directors and other notable film industry leaders attend his performances and they sing along word for word just as the Swifties would. A recent example of such is his performance at the Ambani wedding, where he performed alongside a power-celebrity roster including the likes of Beyoncé and Rihanna, and for notable film figures like Karishma and Kareena Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, Vicky Kaushal and their contemporaries within their respective field.
Diljit brings pride to the entire South Asian community and its effect is evident through all of his experiences and achievements within the industries he works in. But, one such moment for me really reflected this part of his personality and journey as a performer and musician. At the Vancouver stop of his Dil-Luminati Tour, Dosanjh brought a young 6 year old boy on stage while performing one of the songs on his set. The child was wearing an exact copy of Dosanjh’s Coachella stage outfit last year. The two danced it out together over one of his latest tracks, and the shine in their eyes could be seen from the furthest seats. The symbolism of the moment was so wholesome – how beautiful that the next generation gets to experience Panjabi culture so interactively and so freely not just within the diaspora, but openly, in public, too.
Snippets of Diljit’s historic Dil-Luminati Concert in Vancouver, BC on April 27th, 2024
Things are changing, and Diljit's stewarding how we interact with Panjabi culture going forward as a diasporaGiven that the millenial generation is growing up and the elder Gen Zs are too, it’s now our responsibility to the future generation to ensure we stay representing who we are, so that the effect and understanding is positive instead of negative. And Dosanjh is doing exactly that within the music and film industry – he is carrying forth culture, honouring, and acting as a medium for Punjabi culture to cultivate and evolve to translate into the world of a new generation.
In 2024, we all know that representation – especially within media – is very important. Representation allows young people to identify with someone who understands them from a cultural nuance point. As a result, they are able to form strong identities and negate negative stereotypes they may be experiencing and processing as they learn to understand themselves and navigate the complexities of the world. Cultural representation supports a strong sense of self esteem and that would naturally affect mental health.
Negative stereotypes are not limited to Apu from the Simpsons – in fact, Hindi cinema has on numerous occasions, consistently portrayed stereotypes of Sikhs as loud, uncouth, rustic, and clownish characters. I myself cringe every time I hear “Balle Balle” come out of a Sardar character’s mouth in a Hindi film. Dosanjh provides range for Sikhs — he’s played the loud, fun, jokey character, but he has also played very serious, mature characters, romantic leads, and more that we don’t typically see for Sikh characters. From his first role as ASI Sartaj Singh in Udta Panjab where he touches on the issue of drug usage by Panjabi youth to his latest appearance as the suave customs officer, Jaiveer Singh in Crew, Dosanjh holds range and creates opportunities ffor complex characters that add to Sikh representation to emerge on the silver screen – breaking away from cultural stereotypes to more accurate and varied representation of who we can be whilst being proud of our identities,how we look like, and the values we represent.
Snippets of Diljit’s historic Dil-Luminati Concert in Vancouver, BC on April 27th, 2024
Breaking Stereotypes looks like thisOn the eve of his historic concert in Vancouver, Diljit said: “they said Sardars can't be fashionable, and I said, 'I will show you.' They said Sardars can't star in films, so I showed them. They said Punjabis can't thrive in Mumbai, and I showed them.” And he continues to show us all as he continues to make his mark through history while he continues to show up to represent Punjabis, the Punjabi language, and Punjabi culture across the world through the medium of performing arts.
Diljit Dosanjh has paved the way for so many South Asians in the future, and more South Asian artists continue to do the same. Punjabi singer Karan Aujla recently won the 2024 Juno Fan Choice award and AP Dhillon played at the Coachella Festival in California this year. It’s clear that South Asian artists are continuing to break barriers, and in another celebratory statement, many are breaking so many stereotypes and records all around the world, and proving that when you have a dream, you can achieve it – no matter what.
Article written by HIMMAT MEDIA Resident Writer Dil Bola with edits by Journal Editor Jagreet Dhadli
Last edit to include the film Chamkila’s exploration of casteism on May 8th 2024
Shedding Light on the Shadows of Caste
Written by: Dil K Bola
“What’s your last name?”
This is seemingly an innocent enough question for most, but is yet, one that is entirely something different for South Asians, where it holds the weight of thousands of years of often, oppressive history.
This Spring, the Poetic Justice Foundation is displaying a thought provoking exhibit at the Burnaby Village Museum. The museum explores the concept of caste, a hierarchal and hereditary social classing system developed in Ancient India which still holds its clutches on modern South Asian [and diasporic] society. The exhibit explores the “evil of caste that lurks in the shadows of our community.” In its scope, it touches on how caste migrated with immigrants from the region to North America. The exhibit also dives deep into caste’s pervasiveness in Panjabi popular culture, and how equality—a core tenet of Sikhi—is rarely truly practiced today with the adoption of caste in contemporary contexts.
This exhibit illustrates the bizarre, dichotomous reality and juxtaposition of religious equality through the lens of Sikhi and the prevalence of caste oppression. When asking for a South Asian’s last name, you’re asking for more than just that. You’re asking for their family history, their status, their place in society. And that is exactly why “the Sikh Gurus sought to abolish the Indian caste system that assigned value and rights to individuals based on the families they were born into.” [wearesikhs.org]
Caste continues to affect our community in new shapes and forms, and the exhibit implores you to think about how it has adapted after following us to the West.
The origins of Sikhi lie in caste abolishment
With hopes of ending discrimination and promoting equal rights, the Gurus encouraged their followers to take the names Singh and Kaur. This change not only eliminated the classism that powers caste discrimination, but also allowed women to be recognized “as individuals with value and identities existing independently of their relationships with men.” [wearesikhs.org]
At the end of the day, this is a core value of the Sikh religion and community at large – so why are last names and conversations on caste so pervasive today? The excuse I hear the most is, “oh, immigration led to us bringing our last name back … we needed it to better identify ourselves … etc.” Some say only those who have taken amrit follow this tradition whereas others claim its to avoid forgetting their history.
The modern concept of caste
The modern concept of a last name coming from a patrilineal line is fairly Western against the background of South Asian history. Last names are at the end of the day, our clans. If we know our pind — our village — would we really forget who we are are and where we are from?
As the exhibit displays, even when part of the diaspora, we cannot escape our identity. Throughout the various stories shared within it, many spoke on the fact that despite growing up in the West, conversation on caste prevailed. The aforementioned question “what is your last name?” echoes through the halls of schools for local and international students alike. Inter-caste couples struggle to receive support from their families to the point of breaking up or being disowned.
“I have a cousin who marries outside of their caste … her family disowned her … “ (OVERCASTE)
Dating apps and biodatas continue to request specific caste matches, lower castes such as Chamar or Chura are used as synonyms for unkempt or dark skinned appearances (a feat that is incredibly problematic on its own with the pervasiveness of colourism in South Asian culture) and rappers touting their higher caste status as Jatts continue to hit the top of the charts.
At the end of the day, the caste system in its form today continues to oppress all of us. Whichever rung of the ladder you may be, you’re still being stepped on while someone else climbs to the top.
“In 1906, my great-grandfather Maya Ram Mahmi became the first recorded Dalit immigrant to Canada, seeking a brighter future and escape from the social and economic oppressions he faced in India. Yet, he and his descendants, including myself, have faced ongoing caste discrimination, an issue that persists over a century later. Through the OVERCASTE exhibit, we aim to highlight the often-ignored problem of caste bias in Canada. This initiative seeks to amplify the Dalit Canadian narrative, which has been historically sidelined and ignored”
And you may look at the top of this article and think, “well, she’s got her last name on there.” You’re right, I do, but that wasn’t my choice. Not to say it was my parents’ choice either, their parents made that decision for them. And as many did before them they followed what their ancestors had done without thinking about the implications of a something as simple as naming your child. But it takes one person to change that cycle, and I for one, will not be passing this onto my children.
“I was dating this guy, and he asked me my caste and when I said I’m a Chamaar, he’s like “that’s going to be an issue.” (OVERCASTE)
Final reflections
At the end of the day I’m asking you to think. This exhibit is asking you to think. How did we become so complacent? How can we change this? How can we make our community more equitable by changing behaviour in our day to day life? How can we look at the exhibit and examine the ways it asks us to reflect on how we separate ourselves from each other through harmful modalities like social heirarchies? How do we get to decide we are better than others?
The OVERCASTE Exhibit is currently travelling internationally and returns to Burnaby Village Museum on May 4th, 2024.
Learn more at overcaste.com.
Images provided by the Poetic Justice Foundation, taken by Behind the Lens Photography
