Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh found himself at the center of controversy after the Telangana government issued a notice restricting the content of his songs for the upcoming Dil-Luminati concert in Hyderabad. The notice prohibits Diljit from performing songs that promote alcohol, drugs, or violence and bans children from being brought on stage during the event, which is scheduled to take place at GMR Arena, Airport Approach Road.
The directive was issued following a complaint from Chandigarh-based professor Panditrao Dharenavar, who submitted video evidence alleging that Diljit had performed such songs during his concert at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in October. The district welfare officer from the Department of Welfare of Women and Children, Disabled and Senior Citizens in Rangareddy district served the legal notice to enforce the restrictions.
Telangana government issued a notice to actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh and the organisers of his ‘Dil-Luminati’ concert scheduled to be held on November 15, 2024 in Hyderabad. The notice states that he should refrain from singing any songs that promote alcohol, drugs or violence.… pic.twitter.com/eKUEBcIaCB
— ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2024
A Cryptic Response
Ahead of the concert, Diljit shared a cryptic message on Instagram that appeared to address the controversy. Posting pictures from a visit to a gurudwara in Hyderabad on the occasion of Gurpurab, he captioned his post with the Hindi phrase:
“Tonight Hyderabad 🪷 आंधी रोके तो हम तूफान … तूफान रोके तो हम आग का दरिया (If the storm is blocked, we become a flood … If the flood is blocked, we become a river of fire).”
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This poetic statement has been interpreted as a subtle response to the restrictions imposed on his performance.
Spiritual Preparation Before the Show
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Before the concert, Diljit marked Gurpurab, the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, by visiting a local gurudwara in Hyderabad. He shared images of himself praying, receiving kada prasad, and interacting with fans and musicians, emphasizing his connection to his faith and culture.
Changing the Setlist
The imposed restrictions are likely to alter the Dil-Luminati concert’s planned setlist, as many of Diljit’s popular songs reportedly violate the outlined rules. Despite these challenges, fans eagerly await the show, curious about how the singer will navigate the situation.
Diljit Dosanjh’s Hyderabad concert has already generated significant buzz, with his social media post adding a layer of intrigue to the highly anticipated event.