Diljit Dosanjh is a performer of many parts. As a singer his songs provide energy to discotheques with songs like “Lak 28 Kudi Da” and “Proper Patola” but these days Diljit is making his presence felt as an actor. First he emerged as sweetheart of the masses with romantic comedies like Jatt and Juliet but recently he surprised his critics with the portrayal of a young man caught in crossfire of Operation Blue Star in Anurag Singh’s Punjab 1984 . The film continues to create waves and Diljit stellar performance has garnered praise.
Excerpts from an interview:
Punjab 1984is a period film, how much preparation did you need to get into the character?
Jatt and Juliet had Diljit as he is in real life. I had heard a lot about the incidents of 1984. It is something which affects all Punjabis in some way or the other, so relating to it is not an issue. My character in the film is a village lad and has roots and an upbringing which is very similar to my own. So in that sense I did not need to do too much research. I changed my clothing style a little and changed the way I tie my turban. I saw documentaries, talked to people, to get a feel of the atmosphere of the time.
The movie managed to avoid controversy unlike other movies on the issue
We did not touch the political angle of the issue. The story was about a boy in the circumstances and how his life was affected. We wanted to tell a story and not make a political statement.
But the subject still required sensitive treatment…
For Punjab 1984 , we felt we would treat the subject matter fairly if we abstain from taking any political sides on the issues. We did not try to elicit any sort of political sympathy for the movie, rather we focused on the story.
Your music got most success after “Proper Patola”. Did you fear that it stereotype you?
No, that was never really a fear, I do a lot of different type of music..I need variety to really enjoy work . So I have no fear of being stereotyped.
You are both an actor and a singer. Do these roles conflict at times?
No, I don't think that they are conflicting. In fact, they feel the same to me. I sing songs for my movies and shoot videos for my songs, so I feel that they are symbiotic.
