Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh has opened up about his initial struggles in life when he used to perform at birthday parties and weddings, saying growing up in poverty taught him the value of money and pushed him to accept every opportunity that came his way. (Also read: Diljit Dosanjh’s San Francisco concert disrupted as pro-Khalistan protester storms stage, arrested. Watch)
What Diljit said
Speaking during an interview on the podcast Q with Tom Power, as per news agency PTI, he said his family’s financial struggles motivated him to work tirelessly. “I came from a poor family. It was like a below-average family. If you got sick, you wouldn’t have money to go to the doctor, so don’t get sick because you don’t have money,” he said.
The Amar Singh Chamkila star said he always dreamt of becoming “rich and famous” because financial security was a necessity. The singer recalled the time when his debut album “Ishq Da Uda Ada” was released in early 2000s.
Later, a few people approached his music company to book him for birthday party performances, he added. “My album came out in 2002 and 4-5 people came to my company and said we want to book this guy for a birthday party…. So when they gave me the money, I thought this was the path… I didn’t say no to anybody. If someone offered ₹5,000, ₹10,000, ₹15,000, I said yes. I didn’t say no to anybody. I went everywhere day and night,” he added.
On his live performances
Dosanjh added that live performances soon became his biggest source of income. “It’s amazing. There’s so much money in that field,” he said. The actor-singer also revealed why he eventually stopped performing at weddings, saying some senior artistes in the Punjabi music industry looked down upon such performances.
“The senior artists from my field didn’t like that I do too many shows. And I thought, ‘Oh my God, you guys think that if I’m not doing wedding songs I’m done? No, because I love Michael Jackson. Everyone used to say that Punjabi music will not go to that level. And then I decided that I won’t do wedding shows, I’ll do concerts,” Dosanjh said.
Diljit was recently seen as an actor on screen in the film Main Vaapas Aaunga. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the drama won positive reviews upon release and went on to become a box office success due to strong word of mouth response.