Marking his first cohesive music piece in seven years, Sound of Soil is veteran Punjabi artiste Gurdas Maan’s 46th album. Maan brings a gamut of sounds together in this nine-track offering, touching upon subjects ranging from the meaning of life, the essence of time, and desire.

“The album has nine songs, like the navratna. A favourite on this list is a traditional Qawwali number that I first heard 40 years ago, and continued to play on several stages over the years. I wanted the young generation to have the opportunity to enjoy this song that has been dear to me,” says Maan, who was keen to present an album after having released a spate of singles in the past few years.

Having trained his attention to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of Punjab, the artiste, 67, continues to perform to packed audiences across the globe. But a discussion on the manner in which younger Punjabi artistes have commercialized the genre appears to evoke more joy than criticism. 

Acknowledging that the genre has broken cultural barriers, Maan credits artistes like Diljit Dosanjh, Karan Aujla, Ammy Virk, and Gippy Grewal for “adding their own flavour to Punjabi music” and appeasing a wider audience. “Several artistes in the UK and USA have also promoted the genre and created music that people can dance to. This is a wonderful thing.”

On his part, however, he turned down offers when his “conscience didn’t allow” him to pursue them. “During my time, songs that had double meanings were promoted. I was also offered record deals if I agreed to create them. However, I did not want Punjabi music to be stereotyped. I didn’t want people to say, ‘Punjabi gaane aise hi hote hain.’ I want people to remember that artistes like Baba Bulleh Shah, Amrita Pritam, and Shiv Kumar Batalvi also [wrote Punjabi poetry] that did not have dual meaning. Sure, several rappers write about addiction, and young [music listeners] are getting what they want from them. But I want to encourage young artistes to write with intention, and create [poetry] that warms people’s hearts, and educates and motivates our children. We want to be proud of the songs that our artistes create.”

Citing that mental health illnesses like depression are prevalent among children, he points to an incident that reiterated his faith in his music.

“I was told of a young man who was living in Australia, and was prepared to leave [the country] due to poor circumstances. Someone introduced him to my music, and he decided to rebuild his life after hearing it. He worked from the ground up to become the sous chef [of a restaurant]. When I met him four years later, he cried and told me the effect that my music had on him. Today, unfortunately, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims are all talking about breaking [relationships]. No one is talking about bringing people together. The young generation needs to work with the mission of creating an impact and spreading [positive] messages. Money cannot be the only intention behind creating music. You need to have passion for your country and [the desire] to serve it.”

The two haven’t worked together since their altercation in 2017, but Kapil says that he still thinks about ideas for a possible collaboration
Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; June 5, 2020)

At one time, Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover were considered to be one of the most popular comedy jodis on Indian television. And, their fallout a few years ago was as talked about as their on-screen camaraderie. But those close to Kapil and Sunil are aware that even today, they have high regard for each other as artistes. In a recent chat with Bombay Times, Kapil clearly expressed that if a project presented itself, he would like to work with Sunil again.

“Sunil paaji se mulakaat hoti rehti hai. We recently met at Gurdas Maan’s son’s wedding in Punjab, and then, at another wedding in Delhi. Chhoti chhoti woh cheezein jo hotey hai usse rishtey toh khatam nahin hotey hai. Sunil is such a fine actor. When I work with different artistes I always feel that there is so much to learn. Maine Sunil paaji se bahut cheezein seekhe hai, aur future mein, if a good project comes by, unke saath kaam karne mein bada mazaa aayega,” says Kapil.

Talking about his rapport with Sunil, who became famous as Gutthi, he adds, “When we are together, we don’t have to work too hard, kyunki hum ek doosre ko bahut acchi tarah se jaante hai. I keep thinking that my current show (The Kapil Sharma Show) is going on well, toh shayad kuch doosre platforms ke liye Sunil paaji ko leke kuch plan karu…aise ideas dimaag mein daudte rehte hai.”

Singer-actor Jassie Gill, who plays Kangana Ranaut’s husband in her upcoming sports drama, is married with a one-year-old daughter
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 13, 2020)

Jassie Gill is on his way to fulfilling another dream. He is outside a recording studio, waiting to sing a Shankar Mahadevan composition for his upcoming release, Panga. The lyrics are by Javed Akhtar and the actor-singer is excited to add it to his repertoire of peppy, fun numbers that shot him to stardom in Punjab. “It is completely in my zone,” he exults.

Jassie used to watch reality TV shows and imagine what it would be like to be a famous singer. In college, he opted for music because it meant less studying and practising what he already loved. “I started winning at youth festivals and realised I was good at it. Then, I visited my sister in Australia on a tourist visa and after four days, knew I couldn’t spend three months sightseeing. So, I repeatedly pestered my jiju (brother-in-law) until he got me a job at a car wash. With that money I cut an album upon my return. I believe it’s the same money circulating since, multiplying many times over,” he smiles.

To increase the reach of his music, he started making videos to convey the meaning of the lyrics. And through them he learnt to face the camera and emote. “I have have worked with Gurdas Maan ji, Jimmy (Sheirgill) ji and now Kangana (Ranaut) ji and learnt from everyone to make up for my lack of experience,” Jassie says earnestly.

He plays Prashant, a supportive husband to Kangana’s Jaya, in the Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s directorial. At 31, Jassie is himself married, having met his wife in the first year of college, and has a one-year-old daughter he dotes on. “My mother had told me I’d be working in Bollywood one day and after the birth of my daughter, I signed my first Hindi film (Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi),” he shares.

His wife and daughter are settled in Canada and he keeps visiting them or they come over from time to time. “Even if they were here, I wouldn’t be able to stay with them all the time because of my work commitments, so, it’s better this way. My daughter recognises me on TV now and likes music, so I’m relieved,” he laughs. But why are there no pictures of him with his wife on his internet feed though there are videos of him dancing with his toddler? “I’ve learnt my lesson the hard way and now keep my personal life private. I can’t go out whenever I want anymore. I don’t want my wife’s life to be as restricted as mine, so you won’t see her accompanying me to events and shows,” he reasons.

Did he channel his real-life husband-self for the film? “You can say so. I am quite hands-on, in that I can cook and look after the house,” Jassie admits, adding that it comes from growing up around strong women. “My father was a farmer and my mother a housewife, but they educated my three elder sisters despite everyone advising them to marry them off. My eldest sister is a doctor, the second has done her MBA and the third is an engineer. My strength comes from seeing them.”

The actor believes Panga could be a turning point for him in the industry. There’s another film, Sonam Gupta Bewafa Hai, in the pipeline, but Jassie doesn’t want to abandon his first love. “I’m collaborating on many music videos and will keep doing Punjabi films whenever my schedule allows. The industry has its limitations in terms of budget, but we have amazing content and soon, Punjabi films will be as famous as Punjabi music,” he promises.

The couple tied the knot in Sikh and Hindu ceremonies on Wednesday; Salman Khan, Bachchans, among others, on guest list for Mumbai reception on Dec 24
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 13, 2018)

Comedian-actor Kapil Sharma and his long-time girlfriend Ginni Chatrath tied the knot on Wednesday in two weddings in the latter’s hometown of Jalandhar. The Sikh ceremony took place at 11.30 pm and was followed by a Hindu ceremony at 4 am.

A source close to the groom told Mirror, “Kapil reached Amritsar on December 8, just before the pre-wedding ceremonies were to take off, as he had been busy shooting for his TV show comeback, The Kapil Sharma Show, with his first two guests – Salman Khan and family and Ranveer Singh, Sonu Sood and Sara Ali Khan.”

According to the source, director-duo Abbas-Mustan, who had helmed Kapil’s 2015 big screen debut Kis Kis Ko Pyar Karoon, were among the guests at the wedding ceremony along with singer Gurdas Maan, who also performed. On the menu were traditional Punjabi dishes, along with Chinese delicacies.

Next up, Kapil, whose comeback show premieres on December 21, will host a wedding reception in Mumbai for his friends from the film and TV industries on December 24 at a suburban five-star. Guests expected to attend the do include the Bachchan family and Salman Khan, among others. Incidentally, Kapil’s comeback show is scheduled to premiere on December 29.

“Kapil and Ginni will go on a honeymoon later as he is required to resume shooting for his show early next week,” the source added.

Kapil and Ginni’s pre-wedding celebrations had kicked off last week with Akhand Path and chooda ceremony, which took place at the bride’s residence. Mehendi and sangeet were held at a five-star in Amritsar (Kapil’s hometown) on Sunday. The next day, the bride’s family had a Mata Ki Chowki at their residence, which was followed by a cocktail and dinner party hosted by the couple for their friends and colleagues, including Bharti Singh and Harsh Limbachiyaa, Krushna Abhishek, Sumona Chakravarti, Rajiv Thakur, singer Richa Sharma and Kapil’s Firangi director Rajiv Dhingra on Tuesday. “Later in the evening, both families took part in a ceremony where jaagos (pots decorated with lights) and decorated sticks (jaago sticks) are used as part of the celebrations. Guests danced and sang during the ceremony which went on till early hours of Thursday.

A few days ago, Kapil had sent out wedding invitations in cream-and-gold-plated boxes to his guests. The couple’s initials were emblazoned on the boxes with dry fruit panjeeri, almond chana bite, herbal green tea, mysore pak and baked cashew squares inside it.

Exclusive: Bollywood and cricket stars get one step closer to their bow in the electoral potboiler. Also starring: Sonu Nigam, Gurdas Mann, and others
Dharmendra Jore (MID-DAY; December 5, 2018)

A Pan-India survey by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party about the winning prospects for stars from Bollywood and cricket has strengthened the likely candidatures of A-listers like Madhuri Dixit-Nene, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir for the 2019 polls.

While some of these names, including Madhuri's, have been making the rounds for a while now, the survey has zeroed in on Pune or Mumbai as the most apt battlefield for the Dhak-Dhak star.

Similarly, the survey — respondents included hard-core BJP supporters, neutrals and anti-BJP voters alike — has said that the swashbuckling Sehwag's prospects in Rohtak will be bright, while his stoic former India opening partner Gambhir will be best suited for a constituency from New Delhi.

Sources told mid-day that the surveyors provided respondents with the names of probable star candidates and asked them to rate their winning chances. In constituencies that the party currently holds, the questionnaire slotted them alongside sitting MPs and their prospects. In non-BJP seats, the survey featured the stars alongside other hopefuls.

As per the survey, the star-struck Gurdaspur constituency, a BJP fortress where the late Vinod Khanna held sway for many decades, might feature the political debut of bhangra king Gurdas Mann. Several reports have said the seat would go to Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, but he is a Canadian citizen and cannot contest elections in India.

The survey found that Marathi mulgi Madhuri will be a strong candidate from Pune where the sitting BJP MP Anil Shirole is on a weak wicket. Besides Madhuri, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar and state minister Girish Bapat were also favoured by the respondents.

Madhuri emerged popular among respondents in Mumbai, too. Sources told mid-day that she could contest one of the Mumbai seats depending on the competition in Pune and the seat-sharing arrangement with Shiv Sena (Party president Amit Shah met her in June). Sources said Nigam could be considered for a reserved constituency, but mid-day could not independently verify if the singer falls in any socially reserved category.

Good wicket in cow belt
While it is all Bollywood stars in the West, it is cricket all the way in the cow belt. It is common knowledge that cricketer Gambhir (who incidentally, announced his retirement on Tuesday evening) and his now-retired senior Sehwag are diehard BJP supporters.

Gambhir — who never misses an opportunity to stand up for the armed forces and is equally vocal in putting down what he thinks are anti-national voices; also on Tuesday , he took a dig at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Twitter — was popular among respondents in New Delhi, where firebrand party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi is the sitting MP.

Sehwag — who famously took on 19-year-old student Gurmehar Kaur to brandish his right-wing credentials — could be fielded against Congress strongman Deepender Singh Hooda. Unlike Gambhir, Sehwag has a strong grassroots presence in Rohtak thanks to his world-class education institutions and social work.

Proven formula
The idea of fielding film and television stars worked well for the BJP in 2014. Saas-bahu serial actor Smriti Irani, who took on Rahul Gandhi in Amethi and lost in 2014, is the highest-ranking star in the BJP. Other star lawmakers include Hema Malini (Mathura), Kirron Kher (Chandigarh), Babul Supriyo (Asansol), Manoj Tiwari (north-east Delhi).

Two others — ex-cricketer Kirti Azad (Darbhanga) and Shatrughan Sinha (Patna Sahib) — have recently turned against the party leadership. While he refused to comment on the survey, BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said having celebrities on board was part of party's all-inclusive policy that has given it great leverage all these years.

"Achievers from various fields come with their own experiences and expertise. We have always welcomed them into the party fold and given them roles that suit their strengths. This has helped in governance and policy making. The party organisation too benefits from such successful people," he said.

Ginni Chatrath at her Jalandhar residence; the wedding invite (below)

Countdown to actor-comedian and his ladylove’s nuptials kicks off with Akhand Path and choora ceremony; Gurdas Maan, Daler Mehndi to perform on D-Day, reception
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 4, 2018)

Over the weekend, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s 18-day wedding celebrations wrapped up with a reception party for their Bollywood friends, while Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas became man and wife with two ceremonies. While Nickyanka wedding reception is to take place in Delhi today, another showbiz couple has kicked off the countdown to their own D-Day. Actor-comedian Kapil Sharma’s long-time love Ginni Chatrath, who he will wed in Jalandhar on December 12, took part in ‘Akhand Path’ late last week, which was followed by the ‘Path ka bhog’ on Sunday, where the bride-to-be and her family distributed prasad.

“The ritual was held at Ginni’s Jalandhar residence to mark an auspicious beginning of the ceremonies that will be held in the forthcoming days,” a source close to the development informed, adding that the choora ceremony took place on Monday. “Kapil will soon leave for Punjab after wrapping up work commitments in Mumbai. Singer Richa Sharma, along with Punjabi devotional singer Master Saleem, will perform at a Jagran on December 10.”

Also joining the list of performers at the wedding is Gurdas Maan, who was a guest on Kapil’s show last year, and will wield the mic on December 12 at a five-star. According to the source, Daler Mehndi takes over entertaining duties at the couple’s reception on December 14 in Amritsar.

Mirror had earlier reported that another reception for Kapil’s industry friends is also being planned on December 24 in Mumbai. Kapil had made his relationship with Ginni official with a social media post last year. “Will not say she is my better half. She completes me. Love you Ginni. Please welcome her. I love her so much,” he had said.

The actor-comedian recently sent out wedding invites in cream-and-gold-plated boxes to his guests. The soon-to-wed couple’s initials were emblazoned on the invites. “The box has dry fruit panjeeri, almond chana bite, herbal green tea, mysore pak and baked cashew squares inside it,” the source added.

Seema Mattoo (BOMBAY TIMES; August 31, 2018)

Actress Divya Dutta is happy that the Punjabi version of the popular play Tumhari Amrita, which had hit a roadblock after Om Puri’s sudden demise, has been revived. The play, titled Teri Amrita, was translated into Punjabi with Divya and Om Puri in the lead.

Though it suffered a major setback following the actor’s death, Punjabi actor-singer Gurdas Maan will now fill in his shoes. Divya says, “Work on the play had come to a standstill, but one day, Naseer saab (Naseeruddin Shah) asked me about it. That was when I decided to work on it again.”

Divya shares that the play is close to her heart. “I love theatre and have been away for long, but this play is special, as it was my (late) mom’s dream to start our own production house. So, we decided to start with this play, which will see me as a director and actor. When we were looking to cast someone as Om ji’s replacement, we realised that Gurdas Maan is the best choice.”

About her connect with the Punjabi actor-singer, she says, “My Punjabi film debut, too, was with Gurdas ji. He is a legend and it is great to work with him since he is humility personified. As an actor, he is spontaneous.”

Gurdas, too, is excited about the project, “I started my journey on stage, and have always wanted to revisit the medium. I am a huge fan of this play and we have been rehearsing regularly. The fact that I am replacing Om Puri ji makes my responsibility greater.”

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; August 17, 2018)

Maniesh Paul will be seen in a short film titled Black Briefcase, for the first time. The popular TV host, known for his gift of the gab, has absolutely no dialogues in it. Moreover, he essays the role of a man, who faces a moral dilemma when entrusted with a mission to carry out blasts in the city. Maniesh shares his experience of attempting such an intense role.

What prompted you to do Black Briefcase?
I was looking for something to try and reinvent myself. Actually, whatever films I have done till now, I have tried to be different. Even on TV, though I have been hosting shows, I always try to create variety and that’s the reason I’ve been anchoring for so long. My brother Vevek Paul and I have produced Black Briefcase under our banner Cinemaddicts9. We decided ki hum kuchh alag film banayenge where I play a grey character. That’s when my brother met director Kartik Singh on a flight. The latter was the one who came up with the idea of this short.

You are known for your one-liners, but in this film you have no dialogues!
(Laughs) Initially, my character was supposed to have some dialogues, but we decided against that. We thought that I should just emote without any lines. Frankly, I love to talk, but while shooting, I told people on the sets not to converse with me. If I did, then punches nikal aate and I didn’t want to do that, I wanted to be in character. I didn’t even talk to my wife while filming. I told her I won’t be calling her from the sets. She is always a huge support for me. So, she would just message me asking if all was fine and tell me to focus on my work.

You play a grey character for the first time in this film. Was it difficult?
Obviously, it wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t difficult either. I did not prep for four or five months. But, yes, so far, the films that I’ve done have been light and funny. This was in a different zone. First, I had to work on my look. I like to dress dapper and wear suits, etc. And my hair is always in place. But for Black Briefcase, I had to sport a grungy, unkempt look. I shopped for clothes from places like Sadar Bazaar in Delhi. Also, I didn’t take a bath for a few days. My character had to look tired and haggard. I know one can achieve that look with make-up, but I wanted it to be realistic. Even the body language of a person who hasn’t slept is different. So, I napped only for an hour or so for four days. I didn’t use my vanity van and did not want any luxury on the sets. So, I sat on the stairs of shops in the lanes of Delhi where we shot. I just wanted to be in character. And as an actor, I enjoyed the process.

You are also hosting Indian Idol for the first time. How is the experience?
I’m having a really good time and even the show is getting good feedback. Judges ke saath, I’m having a lot of fun. But the show is all about singing and this time, we have got brilliant singers. They are on another level. What’s more, I sometimes join the participants in singing, too. In fact, recently, Gurdas Maan had visited the sets. I’m his huge fan. I have grown up on his songs and my mom is also a big fan. On the show, he was going to sing Ki Banu Duniya Da. When I told him it’s my favourite song, he said ‘Aap bhi gaao mere saath’. No one in the team knew about it and when I joined him, it was a big surprise for everybody on the sets.

You have become the official host of Salman Khan’s Da-Bangg The Tour...
(Cuts in) Yes, all of us on the tour have become like a family. I shared a great rapport with everyone, be it Katrina (Kaif) or Jacqueline (Fernandez). The videos have gone viral. Bhai, of course, has always been a huge support and I’ve learnt a lot from him. I got a call to host his Da-Bangg show when I was anchoring Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. At that time, I had fractured my hand and was using a sling. Naturally, I panicked and told the team about my condition. They said, ‘Don’t worry, this will happen next year, too’. I was overjoyed and decided that if I’ve to go with Salman sir, I’ve to not only be as fit as him but also build my physique in such a way that I’m able to go on the stage shirtless like him! Touch wood, he loves my work and is a major inspiration for me to be fit.

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; June 9, 2017)