The bitter truth of the Rs 700 crore Punjabi music industry: Every sixth album since 10 years promoted obscenity, drugs, gun culture

According to several reports, every sixth Punjabi music album for the last 10 years has featured drugs, crime and gun culture.

Tere Ni Karran Mainu Patteya, Dus Main Ki Pyaar Vichoan Khattya, Dil Da Mamal Hai, Challa Beri Oye, Watan Mahi Da Door Ae… These songs were once the pride of Punjabi song-music, but in the last 10 years video albums have been released. With the advent of Punjabi songs, the display of intoxicants, intoxicating bodies and weapons began to increase.

In the Rs 700 crore Punjabi music industry, the lyrics of many songs are embarrassing. According to several reports, every sixth Punjabi music album for the last 10 years has featured drugs, crime and gun culture. That is, along with being popular, Punjabi music is earning money, but at the same time, it is also losing its heritage and culture.

A few days back, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also said that Punjab has a rich heritage (Virasa) and culture. Young singers refrain from glorifying weapons and drugs in Punjabi songs. Along with this, he had warned that if anyone did this then strict action would be taken against him.

Worry- The situation did not change even after the order of the High Court, despite the provision of 3 months’ punishment in the law, the police do not take strict action

Captain Amarinder raised the issue in 2017, the situation remains the same even after 5 years
The issue was raised by Captain Sarkar in 2017 and on July 2019, the Punjab-Haryana High Court directed a ban on songs promoting drugs, violence. The DGP was asked to ensure through the SSP that such songs are not played in public programs, vehicles, live shows. After this, in 2020, the police banned the playing of songs spreading violence, drugs, weapons and obscenity in government-private buses and in marriages or other public functions in Punjab.

However, their monitoring is negligible. The situation remains the same. Talking about big action, Punjab Police had registered a case against Punjabi singer Sidhu Musewala and Mankirat Aulakh. The film ‘Shooter’, based on the life of gangster Sukha Kahlwan, was also banned.

12% share in the market
Hindi songs have a 50 per cent share in the music market in the country and 18 per cent of international music. Next comes the number Punjabi music. Its market share is 12%.

Remote in the hands of corporates, understanding of music has to be developed among youth: Surjit Patar
The remote of the music industry is in the hands of the corporates who can go to any extent for profit. There was talk of making a commission but it was not implemented. In the new generation, better understanding of music and literature will have to be developed from school, college itself. This will change the situation. – Padmashree Surjit Patar, Chairman of Punjab Arts Council

Heart attack getting bloody: Puran Chand Wadali
The singing of Punjab is not what you are seeing on TV these days. We worshiped music forever. Bhajan, Shabad, Ghazal, Thumri, Dadra, Heer, Ghodi are our genres. Singing and reciting them gives peace to the soul. Now some people have crossed the limits. Let the dose of the soul be protected from being haemorrhoids.’ – Padmashree Puran Chand Wadali, Sufi singer

Solution… Censor board should be made for songs like films, songs should be released after approval
Once a film is made, it cannot be released unless it is approved by the censor board. Not so with Punjabi songs. If a censor board is made for Punjabi songs, then the problem can be solved to a great extent.

Expert View – Singers of songs inciting to commit crimes can be punished
If convicted of promoting obscenity or gun culture in the name of music and music, there is a provision of imprisonment for 3 months and fine. Under section 294 of IPC, the guilty can be imprisoned or fined or both. Singers of songs that abet an offense can be punished under section 113 of the IPC. , RK Bhalla, Senior Advocate