Diljit Dosanjh Doesn't Care

He twirls his moustache, dances to his own tunes, and calls himself the 'GOAT' (it's the title of one of his chartbusters too). Diljit Dosanjh has never been the one to mince his words or downplay his actions. In fact, he is most vocal through social media, with a very hyperactive team account closely following him behind.

Diljit Dosanjh, one of Punjab's biggest and most popular cultural exports to the world, may be a rab da banda, a 'Lover', and a son of the soil but he has proven time and again that he is no pushover.

The Sardaar Ji 3 Row

Take the latest Sardaar Ji 3 controversy for example. He took on the world's anger when he announced that Pakistani star Hania Aamir is very much a part of his Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3. And he did it in a very Diljit Dosanjh way. He initially teased his fans and followers on social media, and then made the big declaration.

Diljit Dosanjh shared the trailer of the Amar Hundal film, which skipped its India release amid India-Pakistan tensions, on his Instagram handle. The promotional material, though was geoblocked on YouTube, was available to be seen through the actor-singer's page and prominently featured Hania Aamir in a key role opposite him.

The movie was released only overseas, with Pakistan as one of the markets. Diljit Dosanjh, who was trolled online and offline for starring with Hania Aamir in the film which he also co-produced, unabashedly kept sharing videos of a rave response that Sardaar Ji 3 received in Pakistani theatres.

He and his team regularly shared box office updates of the movie doing great numbers at the international box office.

During the Sardaar Ji 3 row, Diljit Dosanjh also found time to support and promote his film Punjab '95, directed by Honey Trehan, which is still stuck with the Censor Board.

Diljit Dosanjh, Beyond Borders And No Entries

The heat of the Sardaar Ji 3 debate also threatened to jeopardise Diljit Dosanjh's upcoming projects such as Border 2 and No Entry 2.

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) wrote to the makers of Border 2 expressing disappointment and concern about his casting in the war drama. There were unconfirmed reports that Diljit Dosanjh was unceremoniously kicked out of the sequel to JP Dutta's 1997 hit Border.

Days later, the singer-actor answered his naysayers by sharing a BTS video from the Border 2 sets, twirling his moustache, in the uniform of an Indian Air Force officer. That video -- set to the song Sandese Aate Hain from Border -- both broke the Internet and silenced his critics.

Yesterday, he shared another BTS video montage from Border 2 sets, enjoying a laugh with co-stars Ahan Shetty and Mona Singh. In the same clip, No Entry 2 producer Boney Kapoor and director Anees Bazmee also make an appearance, chatting away with Diljit Dosanjh.

Again, the actor-singer quelled the rumours of his reported ouster from No Entry 2.

The Challenger Of The Authorities Who Bows Down When Needed

Diljit Dosanjh started the New Year 2025 by meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"A fantastic start to 2025. A very memorable meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We talked about a lot of things including music of course!" he wrote in an X post.

A fantastic start to 2025

A very memorable meeting with PM @narendramodi Ji.

We talked about a lot of things including music of course! pic.twitter.com/TKThDWnE0P— DILJIT DOSANJH (@diljitdosanjh) January 1, 2025

His meeting with the prime minister came days after he criticised online trolls for tagging him in a tweet where he had misspelled Punjab and forgot to add the Indian flag.

Everything is a conspiracy for a section of and labelled his naysayers as "vehley" (idle).

ਪੰਜਾਬ 🇮🇳

Kisi ek Tweet Mai Agar ਪੰਜਾਬ ke Saath 🇮🇳 Flag Mention Reh Gaya Toh Conspiracy

BENGALURU ke Tweet Mai bhi Ek Jagha Reh Gaya Thaa Mention Karna..

Agar ਪੰਜਾਬ Ko PANJAB Likha toh Conspiracy

PANJAB Ko Chaye PUNJAB likho..
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਪੰਜਾਬ Hee Rehna 😇

Panj Aab - 5 Rivers… pic.twitter.com/a1U7q8DW5j— DILJIT DOSANJH (@diljitdosanjh) December 16, 2024

"If in a tweet there is no mention of the flag, that's a conspiracy. Even in the Bengaluru tweet, there wasn't a flag in one place. If Punjab is written as Panjab then that's conspiracy. Whether it's written Punjab or Panjab, it will remain as Punjab (sic)."

Even when the Telangana government sent him a legal notice, directing him not to promote alcohol, drugs, and violence in his songs ahead of his Hyderabad concert during last year's Dil-Luminati India Tour, he wiggled out of the prickly situation in style tweaking the lyrics of his songs Lemonade and 5 Taara, while also calling out the authorities over double standards.

When he went to Gujarat with his tour, he told the audience, "There's good news. I did not get any notice today. Even today I won't sing any song about alcohol. It's because Gujarat is a dry state."

In videos that he posted on his X page, he dared state governments to close liquor shops across the country.

Let's start Dry Nation Movement 🙏🏽

Ahmedabad 🪷 pic.twitter.com/K5RfuSn2Kx— DILJIT DOSANJH (@diljitdosanjh) November 17, 2024

"Let's start a movement. If all states declare themselves as a dry state, from the next day, Diljit Dosanjh will stop singing songs about alcohol in live concerts. There's another offer. Declare a dry day in whichever place I perform, I won't sing songs about alcohol," Diljit Dosanjh famously said at his Ahmedabad concert in November 2024.

Almost a decade ago, Diljit Dosanjh sent Bollywood into a tizzy when he made his Hindi film debut in 2016 with the Punjab-set crime drama Udta Punjab. He was treated as a newcomer, which he was not. He was already a formidable name in the Punjabi cinema and music circuit.

While he was keen about establishing himself in the Hindi film industry by doing quality cinema, Diljit Dosanjh wanted to do it on his own terms and in his own time.

"I am not earning a lot of money in Bollywood. I am earning (more) money by doing shows and Punjabi films than Hindi films. Let me establish myself here (in Bollywood). I am not running after money in Bollywood, I am experimenting with films and roles here. If I don't like anything I say no to it. I have a career in music. If I don't do anything I will do music," he told PTI in a 2018 interview.

Diljit Dosanjh The GOAT

Today, Diljit Dosanjh is a different animal altogether. He proved his acting chops in Hindi cinema once again playing the controversial Punjabi singer-performer Amar Singh Chamkila in the 2023 eponymous movie. He became the first Punjabi to go to Coachella this year, a feat he followed up with a royal debut at the Met Gala where he partied with Shakira, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas.

Starting next year, a university in Canada will offer a course dedicated to the Punjabi singer-songwriter, exploring his musician's global impact on pop culture.

With Sardaar Ji 3 inching closer to earning Rs 50 crore globally and Border 2 and No Entry 2 on the way, Diljit Dosanjh is unstoppable. As is his social media game.

Also Read | Diljit Dosanjh Breaks Silence On Hania Aamir-Sardaar Ji 3 Row: "Producers Ka Bahut Paisa Laga Hua Hai"

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)