Diljit Dosanjh

Punjabi music

Dosanjh earned his first paycheck for singing at a birthday party when he was 18. He used a portion of this money to buy a bicycle for a person with a disability and donated the rest to a gurdwara. His album Ishq Da Uda Ada (“The ABCs of Love”) was released in 2003, followed by Dil (“Heart”). Dosanjh moved into the limelight with the album Smile (2005). His collaboration with Indian rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh on the track “Lak 28 Kudi Da,” which topped BBC’s Asian Download Chart in the United Kingdom for two weeks in 2011, was a turning point in his career. In 2013 the single “Proper Patola” became the first Punjabi song to be featured on Vevo (a U.S. multinational video-hosting service). Dosanjh’s albums such as Ghost, Roar, Back to Basics, and G.O.A.T. have garnered him more than 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Bollywood songs

Dosanjh has recorded songs for many Bollywood films. He often incorporates traditional Punjabi folk music with contemporary beats in the songs, making his tracks culturally rich and commercially viable. Dosanjh’s several notable Bollywood hits include “Move Your Lakk” from Noor (2017), “Ishq Di Baajiyaan” from Soorma (2018), the Punjabi classic “Sauda Khara Khara” from Good Newwz (2019), and “Naina” and “Choli Ke Peeche” from Crew (2024).

Punjabi cinema

Dosanjh’s first film role was a cameo in the Punjabi film Mel Karade Rabba (2010; “God, Let Us Meet”). The following year he debuted as a lead actor in The Lion of Punjab (2011). Although the film underperformed at the box office, its soundtrack—particularly the song “Lak 28 Kudi Da,” sung by Dosanjh and Yo Yo Honey Singh—became popular.

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His breakthrough came later in 2011 with the romantic drama Jihne Mera Dil Luteya (“The One Who Stole My Heart”). In 2012 Dosanjh starred in Jatt & Juliet, a romantic comedy. His impeccable comic timing and on-screen chemistry with lead actress Neeru Bajwa made the film a blockbuster. Its success led to two sequels, Jatt & Juliet 2 (2013) and Jatt & Juliet 3 (2024), which were equally well received. Dosanjh experimented with diverse roles, and in 2015 he ventured into the fantasy genre with Sardaarji, playing a ghost hunter entangled in a supernatural love triangle. The film’s unique storyline, combined with Dosanjh’s engaging performance, contributed to its box-office success, leading to a sequel, Sardaarji 2 (2016).

Bollywood breakthrough

Dosanjh made his Bollywood debut with the crime drama Udta Punjab (“Flying Punjab”) in 2016 alongside Bollywood’s A-listers Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Kareena Kapoor Khan. The movie highlighted the issue of drug use in Punjab.

Following this success, Dosanjh starred in Phillauri (2017), Welcome to New York (2018), and Soorma (2018; “Powerful Warrior”). While the films received mixed reviews, Dosanjh’s performances were appreciated. He was a standout in the 2019 Bollywood comedy Good Newwz, and in 2024 he portrayed the titular role in Amar Singh Chamkila, a biopic on the life of the eponymous Punjabi singer.