Diljit Dosanjh served legal notice for 'pro-alcohol' songs in Ludhiana show

Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh performed his final concert as part of the Dil-Luminati tour in Ludhiana on December 31

Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh’s New Year’s Eve concert in Ludhiana was overshadowed by a legal controversy following a formal complaint by Punditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor from Chandigarh. The complaint prompted the Punjab Women’s and Child Department to intervene, with a formal notice issued to Ludhiana’s District Commissioner to prevent Dosanjh from performing certain songs.

 

Songs targeted in complaint

The notice specifically targets songs like Patiala Pegg, 5 Tara Theke, and Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya), accusing them of promoting alcohol. Despite previous warnings from various commissions advising Dosanjh to avoid performing these tracks, the singer allegedly continued to include them in his live shows, albeit with minor modifications to the lyrics.

 

 

HC ban on certain songs in public

Dharenavar raised concerns about the detrimental impact of these songs on young audiences, particularly underage children in the crowd. The complaint also referenced a 2019 ruling from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had ordered the police to ensure that songs promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence were not played at public events. The court deemed such content harmful to impressionable minds.

 

Further complicating the situation, the academician expressed intentions to escalate the matter to the Punjab and Haryana High Court if the concert proceeded with the contested tracks. The professor also criticised Dosanjh for wearing a pagadi, a traditional headgear, while performing songs he believes promote negative values.

 

Prior complaints against Diljit

The singer had previously faced similar scrutiny in other cities, including Hyderabad and Indore, for performing alcohol and violence-promoting songs. Additionally, during the Indore concert, Dosanjh addressed concerns about the black market sale of tickets for his shows.

 

Earlier in the year, Dosanjh also made headlines with his comments on alcohol in his music. During a performance in Ahmedabad, he promised to stop singing about alcohol if the Indian government enacted a nationwide liquor ban.

 

Dil-Luminati tour ends on Dec 31

This legal issue comes amid other controversies during Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati India Tour, which had its grand finale in Ludhiana on December 31, 2024. The tour was initially set to end in Guwahati but was extended with a last-minute addition of the Ludhiana concert, which sold out within minutes.

 

Despite the ongoing legal challenges, Dil-Luminati continued to be a major success, with tickets quickly selling out at every stop of the tour.

 

[With agency inputs]