At his concert in Lucknow, when Diljit Dosanjh steps onto the stage and greets the crowd, the audience erupts in cries of ecstasy. As the set progresses, the crowd dances to every Punjabi beat. By the time Dosanjh closes his set with “Ikk Kudi” – the soulful ballad from film Udta Punjab – the same attendees burst into tears.
Dosanjh has been making history over the last couple of years, whether it be at California music festival Coachella, on American nighttime television, the Met Gala red carpet or New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden arena. While he takes his ‘Aura’ tour across the world, there’s an inseparable team that’s come together over the years as part of a travelling entourage of the singer and actor.
For vocal Technician Gaurav Wavhal, his first show with Dosanjh came with just three days’ notice. Standing beside the stage during soundcheck, Wavhal recalls how an amused Dosanjh sensed his nerves: “He looked at me and joked, ‘Paaji, apne pehle kiya hai ye kaam?’ Everyone burst out laughing. He knew I was nervous and was trying to make me feel comfortable.” Minutes later, Wavhal found himself looking at nearly 60,000 fans singing every lyric back to the artist. “That image is frozen in my mind. In this profession, you’re lucky if you witness a handful of unforgettable moments. That was one of mine.”
Eknath Chalke, who had previously worked with Bollywood clientele like Karan Johar and Danny Denzongpa, has now travelled with Dosanjh for the past seven years as his personal Chef. Chalke starts his preparations before Dosanjh even gets on a flight. “Before hitting the road, the production team tells me which ingredients won’t be available abroad, so I prepare and pack everything accordingly from Mumbai,” he says, mentioning that Dosanjh’s favourite meal is the humble poha. For post-show meals, Chalke prepares dal and ragi roti, as per Dosanjh’s preference. “Even on days he wants to eat bread, I bake fresh ragi bread for him,” he adds.
Gurpartap Singh Kang, who styles and ties Dosanjh’s turbans, tells Billboard India that the crew often ends up spending more time with each other than they do with their families due to the tight touring schedule. Kang first styled Dosanjh’s turban fourteen years ago, on the sets of Punjab 1984, and hasn’t left his side since. Long before Kang joined Dosanjh’s team, he had founded the Kang Pagri Center in his village in Punjab’s Karnal district, where he taught others the art of tying a turban.
Kang’s favourite creation so far remains the turle wali pagg (turban with a crest) worn at Dosanjh’s Coachella debut. Crafted from approximately eight metres of full voile fabric, the turla was dipped in starch and sun-dried to achieve a distinctive upright shape. “A turban is not just a part of an outfit. It is a crown,” he says. Every turban is stitched, washed, and styled differently depending on the look. “There isn’t a single fabric that works for every style,” explains Kang, as the occasion and outfit also dictate the specific style. Before the tying begins, Kang and his team perform an Ardaas – a standardised daily Sikh petition or prayer.
At Dosanjh’s concert premises, Kang organises free turban camps, where any show attendee can get one tied. Children from different countries come up and ask what it is that they wear on their head. “There have been days when I’ve tied over a hundred turbans simply because I love what I do. When you’re deeply passionate about your work, you stop counting the hours. Sometimes, we become so focused that we even forget to eat,” adds Kang.
For personal photographer Jaskaran Singh – accompanying Dosanjh from film sets and music videos to advertising campaigns and sold-out stadium tours – is a norm. “It honestly feels like we’re on a boys’ trip, discovering different parts of the world and ourselves along the way,” says Singh. At Dosanjh’s recent Toronto show at Rogers Centre, Singh waited patiently for the perfect frame, for when the roof of the arena would open. He was able to capture Dosanjh against the backdrop of the city’s landmark CN Tower.
A fan for over a decade, Amandeep Rajpal ran a dedicated social media page for the “Lover” singer. Years of creating edits around Dosanjh’s music and films eventually caught the attention of Dosanjh’s team, who first brought him on as an intern. Rajpal has now been Dosanjh’s personal videographer and social media manager for over three years. On the creative process they use, he shares, “Diljit sir is aware of trends and understands culture and fashion – but he never chases trends.”
The same crew who was working behind Dosanjh’s smaller shows until a few years ago, are the ones playing at massive sold-out arenas across North America and Europe. Show Caller Akshata Honnavar coordinates departments across production, automation, special effects and stage management, and is designated to give everyone cues at the right time.
Honnavar tells us that Dosanjh is deeply involved in every aspect of the show: “From the stage design and visuals, to the performance flow and audience engagement – Diljit sir actively shapes how he wants people to experience every moment.”
Choreographer Balwinder Singh Dhillon, who joined the team during the ‘Born To Shine’ tour in 2022, has completed more than 80 shows. “We don’t even need to talk before the show anymore. Sometimes just eye contact between Diljit Paaji and the sound engineer tells us exactly what he wants. That only comes with years of working together,” says Dhillon, who shares that some crew members have been with Dosanjh for over ten years. The moment from the show Dhillon cherishes the most is when he joins the dance performance on the last track on the setlist, and Dosanjh hugs him without fail.
With their hectic schedules and extensive travel times, the team has reached a comfort level. They are open with each other on their language, food and habits. “It doesn’t get documented and we don’t want to get it documented, because behind the scenes are behind the scenes. That is not supposed to come in front of the scenes. So, we keep it behind and continue with our fun,” reveals Dhillon.
Shedding light on how domestic concerts differ from overseas ones, Clinton Charles – concert pianist and playback engineer – tells us that in India, most venues offer a standing audience with no seats at all. Charles has been running Dosanjh’s concert audio software for five years. “As far as the musical experience goes, each and every city has the same phenomenal yet nostalgic experience sonically and that’s where I come into play to ensure audio consistency,” he adds.
Dosanjh’s manager had sent Saranjeet Singh a text over WhatsApp in 2022. Dosanjh had liked Singh’s audition for background vocalist and called him in during the Canada leg of the ‘Born to Shine’ tour. “The idea is to enjoy your own part while blending into Diljit’s voice,” explains the backing vocalist .
The team manages to blend work and play. Drummer Rahul Hariharan has witnessed crew members dancing backstage during Dosanjh’s shows. Hariharan does a wide range of warm ups and practice pads before channelling some heavy intensity – courtesy his being a member of Mumbai groove metal act Bhayanak Maut – to the Punjabi hitmaker’s live performances.
As the team gears up for the upcoming Wembley Stadium concert in London, Tour Manager Pouja Gandhi lets us in on the anticipation internally: “It is a huge milestone, not just for DD (Dosanjh) but for Punjabi music and the South Asian community worldwide. The significance of this show is not lost on any of us. For those of us working behind the scenes – it is a project that comes with great responsibility – but also great pride.”
