Diljit Dosanjh has taken the global stage with a storm, amassing a global fandom for his peppy Punjabi music. As the singer is enjoying sold-out concerts in Canada and the U.S., he has come under attack for not paying Desi background dancers on his tour. The controversy quickly escalated and we now have stances from various stakeholders and non-stakeholders.

The ‘lover’ singer first came under fire when Rajat Batta, an LA-based entrepreneur, who also owns a few dance institutes, took to Instagram to pen a lengthy note. He shared that while the community is very proud of Diljit’s achievements, it is disheartening to see that the background dancers performing at the Dil-Luminati tour are being expected to work without any payment.

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Taking to the social media handle, Batta wrote, “While we as a Desi Dance Community are really proud of a Desi Artist breaking glass ceilings and doing sold-out tours across North America… I still feel deeply disappointed that Desi Dancers are still undervalued as an industry. All of the Desi Dancers in Diljit’s Diluminati Tour were not paid, and just expected to perform for free….” He also added that it is an essential part of production and it is disappointing to see a star of such calibre cutting corners.

 

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Following Batta’s post, choreographer and YouTuber Manpreet Toor also stated in a lengthy post on Instagram that she is receiving messages from the dancers who were “not fairly compensated” for the performance at the Dil-Luminati tour. Soon after the allegations surfaced, Diljit Dosanjh’s manager Sonali Singh posted a statement. She claimed that Rajat Batta, Manpreet Toor, or any other choreographer claiming non-payment, were never a part of the ‘Naina’ singer’s tour. She also clarified the choreographers who were engaged in the tour- Balwinder Singh, Preet Chahal, Divya and Parth (Vancouver), urging non-stakeholders to refrain from sharing any alleged misinformation.

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The controversy also witnessed chorographer Preet Chahal coming to Diljit’s team’s rescue sharing their experience with working with the star. Responding to the allegation, he claimed that working with Diljit Dosanjh was a “priceless opportunity.” However, no clarification about receiving monetary compensation for the dance group’s performance was made.

Putting the issue to rest, Chahal claimed, “While we appreciate the concern, we do not wish to be represented by the voices who don’t understand our relationship, our motivations, sacrifices, and the immense value we place on such experiences. We are proud of our participation and the new avenues it has opened for the Punjabi community. Do not try to break our bond. We stand united.”

 

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Diljit Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati Tour commenced on April 27 in Vancouver with the last performance being held in Toronto’s Rogers Centre on July 13.