Happy Birthday Diljit Dosanjh: The Punjabi singer-actor's rise to global success

Diljit Dosanjh celebrates his 41st birthday today

From the Coachella stage in 2023 to several cities around the world for his Dil-Luminati Tour, Diljit Dosanjh has proudly repeated one line on stage - "Punjabi Aa Gaye Oye (The Punjabis have arrived)!" Dosanjh is hardly the first Punjabi artist to have made noise globally. But he is definitely the first to have made such an impact globally in a short period of time.

Amongst all the people who have represented India on the global stage, few have had the kind of adulation and fan following that Diljit Dosanjh commands. At Coachella, he asked fans who did not understand the language to just enjoy the "vibes" of the songs; and it worked. Videos of DJ and music producer Diplo grooving to Patiala Peg amidst a packed crowd went viral on social media.

Early success and acting debut

Hailing from Dosanjh Kalan, Jalandhar, Diljit began his career in 2002 and gained recognition in Punjabi music with his albums Smile (2005) and Chocolate (2008). He had a cameo in the Punjabi movie Mel Karade Rabba in 2010 and began to pursue acting, debuting as a leading actor in the Punjabi movie The Lion of Punjab in 2011.

He made his Bollywood debut in 2016 with the crime thriller Udta Punjab, for which he earned the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut, in addition to a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. This was followed by Good Newwz (2019), for which he received his second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.

In 2024, Dosanjh played Punjabi singer Amar Singh Chamkila opposite Parineeti Chopra in Imtiaz Ali film Amar Singh Chamkila, that released on Netflix. With this controversial yet critically acclaimed film, Diljit proved he is a master of both acting and singing.

Going global with his music

Diljit Dosanjh has been a known face in the Punjabi music industry since the mid-2000s, with countless hits like Patiala Peg and Laembadgini to his name. But his music hit a new high when his 11th music album, G.O.A.T. entered Billboard's Social 50 chart. The album later rose to the top of Billboard's Top Triller Global chart. In 2021, Dosanjh released his twelfth album Moonchild Era, which charted at #32 on Billboard Canadian Albums Chart making him the first Indian artist to have his three albums on Billboard Charts.

In a bid to take Punjabi Music beyond India, Dosanjh partnered with Warner Music. This was the first time he signed to a music label, and it set the stage for his stellar success overseas.

Coachella 2023 performance

India went into a frenzy when Dosanjh was announced to perform at Coachella 2023. He made history by becoming the first-ever Punjabi artist to perform at the prestigious festival. Wearing a black kurta and tamba, which is a traditional attire for men in Punjab, Diljit delivered a mesmerising live performance at the special concert. It was a viral sensation, with Coachella's Instagram reel of the performance getting more views than any other artist that weekend.

Dil-Luminati Tour 2024

In 2024, Diljit made history with the Dil-Luminati Tour, which started in North America and then expanded to Australia and New Zealand before heading to Europe in September 2024. The European leg included multiple performances in cities such as Paris, London, and Amsterdam particularly at London's iconic O2 Arena. One of the key highlights was the performance on The Jimmy Fallon Show. Fallon introduced him as "the biggest Punjabi artist on the planet."

The Dil-Luminati tour was the biggest North American tour from a Punjabi music artist in history: a reported 215,000 attendees and a gross of more than USD 27 million, according to Live Nation. For Diljit, the tour is the topper on a major breakthrough year. He's had his sights set on the global stage in recent years, setting milestones all over the world as he goes.