Ludhiana, 1 January 2025: Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh’s New Year’s Eve concert in Ludhiana faced legal trouble after a formal complaint was filed against him for performing pro-alcohol songs. The complaint was lodged by Panditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor at a Chandigarh college, and led to the Punjab government issuing a notice to Ludhiana authorities.
The complaint specifically targeted songs like ‘Patiala Pegg’, ‘5 Tara Theke’, and ‘Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya)’, accusing them of promoting alcohol. It noted that even altered versions of these tracks had previously been the subject of advisories, warning Dosanjh against including such content in his performances. Despite these warnings, Dosanjh allegedly continued to perform the songs with modified lyrics.
“Such songs influence young audiences, particularly children underage,” Dharenavar stated. The complaint also referenced a 2019 ruling from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which directed police to ensure that public events, including concerts, refrain from promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence. According to the court, songs glorifying harmful substances can negatively affect impressionable minds.
Dharenavar, who expressed his readiness to take the issue to the high court, also took issue with Dosanjh’s choice to perform these songs while wearing a pagadi (turban), a cultural symbol he believes should not be associated with promoting negative values. “It is disappointing to see these values represented by someone of his stature,” he added.
The Ludhiana show, added at the last minute to Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati India Tour, was meant to be the grand finale of his nationwide tour that had been running for three months. Initially scheduled to end in Guwahati, the Ludhiana concert was announced on December 23 and quickly sold out. Dosanjh faced similar scrutiny in other cities during his tour, including Hyderabad, where he received a legal notice from the Telangana government over the performance of the same controversial songs.
Earlier in the year, Dosanjh had made headlines after promising to stop making songs about alcohol if the Indian government imposed a nationwide liquor ban. “If all the states declare themselves as dry states, I promise I won’t sing about alcohol ever again,” he said during a concert in Ahmedabad.
Despite these ongoing legal disputes, Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati tour has continued to draw significant crowds, with tickets selling out almost immediately at each stop.
