Diljit Dosanjh reacts to state advisory on Mumbai show: ‘Won’t bow down…’

Diljit Dosanjh performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on Saturday, April 22, 2023, in Indio, Calif. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP/PTI)(AP04_23_2023_000069A)
| Photo Credit: Amy Harris

Singer Diljit Dosanjh reacted on stage to an advisory issued by the Maharashtra government restricting him from singing songs perceived to promote drugs, alcohol and violence.

Diljit performed in Mumbai on Thursday (December 19) evening as part of his Dil-Luminati tour. The singer and his team received the advisory from the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights hours before the performance. Besides the song curbs, he was also restricted from involving children in his show. Similar advisories were earlier issued in other states where Diljit performed.

In a video from the concert, posted on the singer’s page, Diljit is heard telling the crowd, “Last evening I asked my team if there has been any advisory issued against me. They said there are none. But this morning when I woke up I learned that an advisory had been issued. But you have nothing to worry about. All advisories are for me and I will ensure you have double the fun than you imagined.”

Diljit, known for his wit and poeticism, made a mythological allusion to illustrate his point.

“When Sagar Manthan happened, the amrit was taken by the Devtas (gods), but the poison was taken by Shiva. Shiva also did not drink that poison, but held it in his throat. In life, and the world might throw poison at you, but you should never imbibe. Don’t let your work suffer. Enjoy and have fun,” he was quoted as saying.

He ended with a reference to Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2, saying, “Aaj jhukega nahi (won’t bow down).”

Earlier this week, the Chandigarh administration told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that noise levels exceeded the prescribed limits during singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in the Punjab capital.

The singer also visisted Kashmir recently for a vacation between tour stops.