Badshah has become the first Indian rapper to headline one of the world’s biggest music fests, Untold. Taking the stage at the Dubai edition of the festival, titled Untold Dubai Festival, Badshah made 75,000 music lovers groove to his hits Proper Patola, Kar Gayi Chull, Wakhra Swag, She Move It Like, Saturday Saturday, Jugnu and Kala Chashma.

In an exclusive chat, he says, “It was surreal and definitely a defining moment for me. It has set a precedent for the magical things that are yet to unfold for me this year. To see over 70,000 people singing your words back to you! There’s nothing more intoxicating than that.”

Badshah’s act preceded world-leading DJs Hardwell and Tiësto. The event also saw musicians Armin van Buuren, Ellie Goulding, PSY and Major Lazer take the stage. Badshah adds, “I thoroughly enjoyed performing alongside some major music legends and the crowd was extremely warm and reciprocal.”

The rapper paid a tribute to late musician Sidhu Moose Wala and also waved and kissed the Indian flag. He says, “Every time I set a new benchmark for myself, I feel like I’m doing it for my country and my community. I feel proud to have done this for India. Our country is making milestones in every department, so why not music?”

Badshah adds, “My dream is to show the world that India has a burgeoning hip-hop community and we are headliner material. I feel the responsibility to carry the legacy of Indian hip-hop music forward and make it relevant to a global audience. We need more Indian artistes headlining fests globally and it shouldn’t be restricted to just one genre.”

For long, Punjabi pop numbers were known for groovy beats, catchy lyrics and the artistes’ swag. But the murder of Sidhu Moose Wala in May 2022 brought to the forefront the underbelly of the Punjabi music industry. Over a year-and-a-half since Moose Wala’s untimely demise comes Chamak, a musical thriller that tells the story of a Punjabi singer shot dead in broad daylight. When we get on a call with creator-director Rohit Jugraj, he says that the series doesn’t flinch from looking at the underbelly of the Punjabi music scene.

“Punjab is a land that reveres music the most. There, music is big, and the amount of money singers make is shocking. When money increases, crime follows. I have seen extortion of artistes. The underbelly of Punjab and crime are age-old issues; people are only hearing about it now. The biggest Punjabi stars don’t live in the state, they live abroad. This is not because of Sidhu Moose Wala’s [murder]. It has been happening since 1986, two years before folk artiste [Amar Singh] Chamkila was killed. Artistic jealousy is to the point that they can kill each other. Artistes have been shot dead while performing at shaadis, like Dilshad Akhtar was in 1996. What boils my blood is that people didn’t know about it till a global icon died.”

The Sony LIV series— starring Paramvir Singh Cheema, Mohit Malik and Isha Talwar—tells the story of pop star Kaala, who returns to India from Canada to unravel the mystery around the death of his father, who was a popular singer in Punjab. It’s evident that the story is not inspired by Moose Wala’s killing. But his death had a huge impact on the project. “We spoke about him every day on set. Not a day passed when we didn’t listen to his music or think of him,” rues the director. 

The late pop star was originally to star in Chamak. The director recalls, “I had reached out to Sidhu bhai for a cameo in the second episode. He had said, ‘Veere, yeh karenge!’ But it wasn’t meant to happen. When [his murder] happened, we were yet to take the show on floors. I have to give it to Saugata Mukherjee [head of content], Danish Khan [business head] at Sony LIV that they decided to make this show. After Sidhu’s death, I thought they would back out. But they went all in and said, ‘Let’s make it well.’ They gave me the freedom to tell the story unabashedly. And they decided to retain his mention in the series as well.”

Another reason why the show matters is the timing of its release. Coming amid the strong anti-Khalistani wave from peace supporters across the world, the show takes us into the psyche of Punjabi musicians. Major pop stars like A P Dhillon, Shubh have had to cancel shows due to the hate directed at them. With Chamak, Jugraj has tried to show that the sanctity of music and the passion for uniting people through art is the core essence of Punjabi artistes.

“The music of Punjab is pure. There are two states in India that focus on culture more than religion—Bengal and Punjab. Punjabi music is far bigger than politics. Artistes, musicians, filmmakers have all strongly condemned terrorism of any kind. No one stands by that thought process.”

The director hopes that Chamak will have a second season, in which he wants to capture Punjabi music’s impact on the global scene. “This is the year Diljit Dosanjh played at Coachella. His attire, his music are now a phenomenon, and that has been highlighted in the show.” So, has Dosanjh made a cameo in the upcoming show? “Maybe,” he signs off with a grin.

Chamak; (right) Rohit Jugraj

Sriram Raghavan mentored Matchbox Shots, the makers of Andhadhun, Monica O My Darling and Scoop, have acquired the rights to Who Killed Moosewala? The Spiralling Story of Violence in Punjab, a book written by Jupinderjit Singh. The book is a crime reporter’s account of the singer’s killing against the backdrop of an intricate web of violence in Punjab. It takes us through his life with some glimpses narrated by his friends, teachers and parents.

The story will not be just about Sidhu’s killing, but the impact of drugs and the violence stemming from gangsters’ growing power in the Punjabi film and music industry. The narrative is more than just a mystery; it paints a comprehensive picture of the dark underbelly of an industry often glamorized, but rarely understood.

The film will take us through the journey of Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu and how he became Sidhu Moose Wala, one of the most-loved international Punjabi artistes of this era and a key figure for other mainstream Punjabi artistes. His lyrics and themes were often seen as controversial, but they largely resonated with the youth around the world.

Talking about his book being adapted into a film, author Jupinderjit Singh said, “From the time the book was published, there has been a lot of interest from various production houses. I was really impressed with the kind of content Matchbox Shots is producing, and I’m thrilled that they’ve acquired the rights to the book to develop it further.”

Producer Sarita Patil of Matchbox Shots says, “We have always found the macabre relationship between the music industry and gang wars in Punjab extremely intriguing. With Jupinderjit’s book Who Killed Moosewala?, we know we have a strong backbone for our story. Dikssha Jyote Routray from Matchbox will take this project forward, and we will collaborate with the best our industry has to offer to do justice to this story.”

Despite having heard Brown Munde countless times, I never associated it with A P Dhillon, until I sat down to watch the latest documentary on him. Amazon Prime Video’s four-part offering, A P Dhillon: First Of A Kind, delves into the Punjabi singer’s passion for music, brotherhood and his love for the south Asian community. Director Jay Ahmed walks us through the making of the docu, as he met the artiste who is “all heart and a true brother.”

Edited excerpts from the interview.

Passion Pictures and Amazon Prime Video were looking for a director who was experienced in unscripted [content] and had dealt with [high] profile talent. When they contacted me, I didn’t know a lot about him. But I didn’t want to know; I wanted to uncover him myself. When I met him, it was like hanging out with a friend I’ve known for years. There was an instant connection. AP wanted somebody who would respect his boundaries because he is a private guy. He felt I’d never cross that line.

Certain things like protecting the privacy of family members and his inner circle. He wanted the documentary to focus on him as an artiste, his support network and certain aspects of his private life. In the documentary, he spoke about his reaction to Sidhu Moose Wala’s assassination. [He had] immense respect for Sidhu. He told me the details of their last conversation as they had spoken just two days before the tragic loss. There is a [strong] connection in the Punjabi community. When we went on a hike, I wasn’t planning on filming it initially; I just wanted him to clear his head. He then started talking about Sidhu and how the loss affected him. For a few months, he stopped making music. He fell out of love with music because Sidhu’s loss affected him.

Yes, he showed me some of the messages. He was getting random phone calls from unknown numbers. Despite the security and his small circle, information of his location and his hotel room was getting out.

It was exactly how we showed it in the documentary. He was sitting for a haircut, and was in a bizarre mood because of the [social media] comments about the previous concert. I told him that he has to explain to us what’s going on in his head. He started opening up, asking, ‘Why is this happening when all we are trying to do is push the envelope?’ Then Kevin [Buttar] and Gminxr told him that he was stronger than this and they won’t back down because of some social media comments. He just needed to know that his network supported him. That changed the vibe backstage, and it showed in the performance.

In my first week with them, I got the feeling that AP is the genius because he does everything—writing, singing, rapping, producing, composing, and engineering [sound and light]. He is a creative genius. They all come with their specialties, but when they sit with him, they realize that he sees things differently and makes it better. That’s why they’ve always championed him as the face of the band. It was an understanding they all had right at the start. It’s hard to believe for a bunch of young Punjabi boys, we didn’t film even one argument. Not much about his family is explored.

I stayed with them when we went to Punjab for his Lollapalooza concert. His family was so caring and humble, who opened their doors for me. His dad used to write a lot of poetry and loves music. There were evenings where we would sit around the bonfire, and they would play the guitar. His dad is his biggest inspiration. If it wasn’t for his father and grandmother’s sacrifices, he wouldn’t be where he is today.

In the past, I focused on western documentaries and dealt with people from the US and the Middle East. I thought talent was always on that side of the world. But when I met these people from south Asia who sat in their bedrooms and made incredible music, it opened my eyes to how much talent there was in the south Asian community. When you watch the documentary, it becomes apparent that you have to put in the work and have to surround yourself with good people. He spent his first year only listening, watching and learning stuff on YouTube. They planned their first nationwide tour within a span of six weeks. That speaks volumes [of his talent].

Jay Ahmed

Sometimes, beyond the razzle-dazzle of stardom is an artiste coming to terms with his fame, grappling with the perks and perils of it. With Chamak set against the vibrant world of Punjab’s music industry, director Rohit Jugraj attempts to provide a glimpse into the triumphs, trials and tribulations faced by musicians seeking to make their mark in the world. Actor Isha Talwar, who plays a key role in the SonyLIV series, remembers saying an instant yes to the project.

“I play a girl-next-door in Chamak that delves into the nitty-gritty of the Punjabi music industry. This show goes beyond the glitz and glamour to explore the artistes’ journey and their complex relationship with fame. It’s close to my own journey in many ways,” she smiles.

The actor, who will be seen alongside Paramvir Singh Cheema and Manoj Pahwa, says she learnt to play the dhol for the offering. “No Indian wedding or party is complete without a Punjabi number. But what’s interesting is how these artistes navigate their way in big industries,” says Talwar, who was recently seen in Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo.

Over the years, Punjabi music has gained global popularity. A prime example is Diljit Dosanjh’s recent performance at Coachella 2023. But the Punjabi music industry has had its turbulent chapters too. In May 2022, popular rapper Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead, and the episode revealed a web of gang-related violence in the state.

Asked whether the series is based on a particular pop star, Talwar says, “Chamak is a fictitious show that peeks into the behind-the-scenes [activity] of an artiste’s life.”

When an industry colleague shares Sukhbir’s contact number with us for this interview, we can barely contain our laughter. It reads: ‘Sukhbir Singer Oho ho ho’. Obviously, we, (just like you) read the words as though Sukhbir himself was crooning his popular song. Even before he tells us about it, we’re sold on the impact of a powerful chorus.

“There are no words in this line, but people still remember the song and sing along with the chorus. The chorus is powerful. I start my song with it, and the rest of the melody falls in place later,” he says while making a case for his success in the industry.

Sukhbir is responding to questions on the recipe for the making of a hit party number. The second aspect, he reveals, is to ascertain if a song is ‘danceable’. “The bottom line is, it needs to be peppy. I’ve seen slow songs being [remixed] to increase the tempo for the occasion. If I can dance to it while I’m in the studio, I know people will dance to it too,” he says, asserting that his recent release, Billi Billi, was also created with intention.

Following a 27-minute conversation with Salman Khan, Sukhbir concluded that this track that was in store with him, was apt for Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. “We did have to tweak elements. Apart from making the Punjabi song suited for the [Hindi-speaking audience], we had to revisit the introduction because Salman had some ideas in mind for the screenplay. He wanted us to start with a tumbi [section]. Following some back-and-forth, we arrived at the final track,” says the composer, who speaks fondly of his experience of interacting with the star, instead of the head honchos of music labels.

“He was hands-on, and that was very impressive. He has a keen sense of rhythm, knows what he wants, and knows how to get it. He is also collaborative, and not assertive. So, it eventually turns out to be an enjoyable process.”

A yet-to-release track, he says, has been inadvertently penned by Khan. “I didn’t know Salman was a writer too. He wanted another song, so I sent him a few options. He wanted me to combine two of them, which I did, and then [worked with a lyricist]. Salman liked the song, but wanted something that was not typical. He began to introduce changes to the lyrics, and a major portion was rewritten by him. I insisted on giving him the credits as an additional lyricist.”

The affable musician, referred to as the Prince of Bhangra, has enjoyed a long-running career in the independent and commercial music industries. An avid consumer of the works of other musicians, he says the most notable change in the music-making process today is the minimal influence of Hindi music, in Punjabi music.

“If you see the works of today’s [Punjabi] artistes, you’ll see a lot of western influences. Sidhu Moose Wala, for example, had hard-core traditional melody, with an RnB base. AP Dhillon’s music has an entirely different feel that is appealing to today’s youth. There are fewer Indian influences, which is a nice and refreshing change. The melody may be Indian, but the music is western.”

Mumbai: Bandra police detained a 21-year-old man from Jodhpur for allegedly sending a threat email to the personal assistant of actor Salman Khan on March 18. The accused, Dhakad Ram Bishnoi (in left pic), will be arrested once the team reaches Mumbai; they left Rajasthan on Sunday.

Dhakad sent the mail impersonating gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s associate Goldy Bhai alias Goldy Brar, the police said. Dhakad mailed the threat after gangster Bishnoi, in an interview from jail three days back, said the goal of his life was to eliminate Salman Khan. He said that the matter will onlyend after the actor apologises to the Bishnoi community for allegedly killing a blackbuck.”

Minutes after Mumbai police took Dhakad’s custody, a team from Punjab police reached the same place to arrest him as he was allegedly involved in issuing another threat last week to slain Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moose Wala’s father Balkaur Singh, asking him not to mention Lawrence Bishnoi’s name or he would be ‘killed’.

Soon after the threat mail complaint received from the actor's friend Prashant Gunjalkar (49), director of a talent management agency in the entertainment industry, Bandra police registered a first information report against gangster Bishnoi, his aide Brar, and the sender of the mail Rohit Garg.

A police officer confirmed TOI on Sunday: “In the threat mail case registered at Bandra police station on March 18, one accused has been detained from Rajasthan.” Dhakad sent the two emails after gangster Bishnoi’s interview from jail was aired, giving warnings to actor Salman Khan and late singer Moosewala’s father Balkaur Singh.

Bandra police team tracked down Dhakad through technical assistance after they got hold of the internet protocol (IP) address that showed his location in Rohicha Kallan, a village in Luni tehsil of Jodhpur district.

“The Mumbai police can provide the exact motive behind Dhakad’s sending the threat emails to actor Salman Khan and later singer Moose Wala’s father. . . . It is unclear if Dhakad has any link to gangster Bishnoi,” said DCP Gaurav Yadav.

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Mumbai: Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s personal assistant received a warning mail on Saturday on behalf of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s aide Goldy Bhai alias Goldy Brar, asking whether the actor had seen Bishnoi’s interview that he relayed from jail three days ago, and that the goal of his life was to “kill Salman Khan”.

Soon after receiving the complaint about the threat mail from Khan’s director friend Prashant Gunjalkar, theBandra police registered an FIR against gangster Bishnoi, his aide Brar, and the sender of the mail Rohit Garg.

The actor’s PA, Jordy Patel, received the threat mail three days after Bishnoi threatened to kill Khan in an interview to a news channel, after which Mumbai police carried out the actor’s security audit. Last June, Salman’s father had come across a threat letter that was kept on a bench at Bandra Bandstand.

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Mumbai: After a fresh email threat to actor Salman Khan, a police officer of the Bandra police station said, “The cyber team is collecting details of the internet protocol (IP) address and the server to track the person who sent the threat mail.”

Salman’s PA declined to divulge any details, but said the email threat had nothing to do with the earlier threat that the actor received in June 2022.

The current case has been registered based on the complaint received from the actor’s friend Gunjalkar (49)—director of a talent management agency in the entertainment industry—who saw the threat mail in Jordy Patel’s inbox when he visited the actor’s Bandra office.

In the complaint, Gunjalkar said: “I regularly visit Salman’s home and office. On Saturday, I was at his office when I saw the threat mail in Patel’s inbox. The threat mail said Goldy Bhai (Goldy Brar) ko BAAT krni hai Tere boss Salman se. Interview (Lawrence Bishnoi) dekh hi Liya Hoga usne shayad nhi dekha ho toh bol diyo dekh lega. Matter close krna hai to BAAT krva dio, face to face krna ho vo bta dio. Abi time rehte inform krdiya hai agli baar jhatka hi dekhne ko milega.”

A case under IPC sections 34 (common intention), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), and 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) has been registered against Brar and gangster Bishnoi. Police said the interview that the mail mentions is the one he gave recently and was shown on a news channel.

“Bishnoi has now sent an indirect threat to the actor through a news interview from the jail. He has admitted that the goal of his life was to kill Salman Khan. He also called the actor ‘arrogant like late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala’, and said that Khan’s ‘ego is bigger than Ravana’. He said that the matter will end only after the actor apologizes to the Bishnoi community for allegedly killing of the blackbuck,” said the police officer.

Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh has always been vocal about losing singer Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot dead on May 29. Dosanjh, who has a packed touring schedule, often pays tribute to the late musician at his concerts. “It was a shocking incident and a dark time for the music industry. But it was the toughest for his family,” he says.

Dosanjh adds, “If it would have happened with an artiste from any other country, we would have felt equally bad. Yeh toh humare Punjab ke artiste ke saath hua. This should not have happened.”

Meanwhile, apart from performing at live shows across the world, Dosanjh is trying to balance his career as an actor in Bollywood and the Punjabi film industry. Though he has done eight Hindi films so far, including hits like Udta Punjab (2016) and Good Newwz (2019), the 38-year-old says he doesn’t have a fascination for Bollywood per se.

The Jogi actor says, “I never felt like a part of any industry. I have always focused on putting my hard work in a project, and I continue to do so. I have never forced my way into Bollywood. Kabhi try bhi nahin kiya, na kisi ke office gaya, na kisi party mein gaya… I have never believed in being in touch with someone for work. I am chasing my dreams and putting my hard work to achieve them.”

Salman Khan, who had previously applied for a weapon license for self-protection, will now be provided with Y+ category security by the Mumbai Police as the actor is perceived to be under threat, state reports. The Maharashtra government has taken this step after the actor and his father Salim Khan received a threat letter from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang just days after Sidhu Moose Wala’s murder, that read: “Salim Khan, Salman Khan Bahut Jald Aapka Moose Wala Hoga. . . (sic)”

Police had confirmed the Bishnoi gang’s involvement in the letter. As per the information received from Maharashtra Home Department, the reason behind the Bishnoi gang threatening Salman and his father was to create an atmosphere to show their power, an agency reported, adding that following the incident, the Maharashtra Department of Home Affairs increased Salman’s security, upgrading it by two levels from X.

This isn’t the first time that Salman has faced murder threats. Delhi Police officials earlier confirmed that two attempts were made to kill Salman in 2018-19. In September, the Delhi Police said that some Bishnoi gang members posed as Salman’s fans and tried to befriend the staff of his house to find out about his entry-exit timings and details of the people who accompany him. In July, Special Cell officials of the Delhi Police said that Bishnoi told them that his community members will not forgive Salman unless he “apologises for killing blackbuck”, which is considered sacred by the Bishnoi community.

Reports added that the Maharashtra state government will also provide X category security to Akshay Kumar and Anupam Kher. In 2020, after she said that she feared for her life, the MHA accorded Kangana Ranaut Y+ category of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) security. Till 2016, Mumbai Police was providing security to 40 Bollywood celebrities. Reportedly, in January 2016, security cover for 25 Bollywood celebs was reduced. However, Mumbai Police officials said that they do not share any details of security provided to any actor.

In response to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by Jammu resident Rohit Choudhary, the MHA stated that it was “difficult to ascertain the expenditure on security”. It added, “It is difficult to determine it precisely as it includes salary and allowances to security personnel, communication, transport vehicles etc. which are accounted for under respective budget heads of different security agencies, under different heads. Moreover, state governments also incur expenditure on security, as they are primarily responsible for providing security to individuals on tour in their State/UT (area of jurisdiction). These accounts are neither compiled nor available centrally.”

When any celebrity in any state needs police protection, they write to the district police, which then assesses the situation. State governments and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) provide security to celebs or individuals on the basis of information from intelligence agencies. There are largely five categories of security covers that are provided to people – X, Y, Y+, Z and Z+.

These are given on the basis of intelligence reports, personal requests, threat perception and maintaining law and order at a gathering. The applicant has to submit a written request, following which security is considered. The police charge a fee to Bollywood actors for providing security.

However, if the Centre approves security, then it is the MHA which decides payment/non-payment conditions, and as per officials, in such cases the celebrity isn’t usually required to pay for security.

Mumbai: Kapil Pandit, one of the arrested accused in singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s murder case, told Mumbai crime branch that in February 2019, they had conducted a recee of actor Salman Khan’s farmhouse in Panvel and had planned to kill him at a public function in Alibaug. Khan, however, cancelled the programme. Pandit is an alleged henchman of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

A senior officer of Mumbai Police said they have enhanced the actor’s security.

Last week, a team from the Mumbai Police’s crime branch questioned Pandit, who is believed to have said that they had planned to waylay Salman’s car in Panvel. Pandit also said that they had procured three weapons to kill the actor. Later, they tried to befriend a security guard at the farmhouse posing as fans and tried to extract information about the actor.

Pandit has given the names of four men, including himself and Santosh Jadhav, who rented a house in Karjat and Palghar. They stayed in Palghar for two months and one month in Karjat to record the frequency of Salman’s visits and other details.

Pandit is in the custody of Punjab police. Mumbai Police will seek his custody in this case, an officer said.

Police said that they will add the Indian Penal Code sections of attempt to murder and conspiracy and are also likely to invoke the stringent act of Maharashtra Control of Organsied Crime (MCOCA) Act as it falls under the definition of organized crime.

Mumbai crime branch is probing the case involving a threat letter received by Salman’s father Salim Khan during his morning walk at Bandra Bandstand in June. The letter stated: “Salim Khan, Salman Khan bahot jald aapka Moosel Wala hoga . . . (Salim Khan, Salman Khan, very soon you will meet Moosewala’ s fate. )”

A six-man squad had gunned down Moose Wala in Punjab on May 29. Pandit and Rajinder Joker allegedly provided logistical support and weapons to the shooter s. Bishnoi’s gang was looking to target Salman before Moose Wala over his involvement in the blackbuck poaching case, said officials.

Rajasthan’s Bishnoi community is extremely protective of the species. In 2018, Bishnoi had sent his aide Sampat Nehra to attack Salman at his Bandra residence. Nehra was later arrested in Bengaluru.

New Delhi/Mumbai: Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s henchmen rented a room near actor Salman Khan’s farmhouse in Panvel and did a recce of the place as part of a conspiracy to kill him, investigators said on Thursday after interrogating three suspects arrested last week for rapper Sidhu Moose Wala’s murder.

Deepak Mundi, one of the three arrested from near the Nepal border in Bengal, was the last absconding member of the six-man squad that gunned down Moose Wala in Punjab on May 29. The other two in custody, Kapil Pandit and Rajinder Joker, apparently provided logistical support and weapons to the shooters.

Special commissioner (special cell) H G S Dhaliwal of Delhi police said the Bishnoi gang parked its members near the farmhouse for a month and a half to record the frequency of Salman’s visits and other details. “They procured a car and a bike. The gangsters felt they could target him with a small weapon,” Dhaliwal said.

The gangsters told the interrogators that they made a note of Salman’s car being driven slowly on the potholed road leading to the farmhouse because the actor was carrying an injury suffered in an accident in Mumbai. They also gathered information that Salman’s entourage was a small one, including his bodyguard Shera. Pandit told cops that he and his aides befriended a guard at the farmhouse by posing as fans of the actor. Salman visited his farmhouse twice during the gangsters’ stay, but both times they learnt of it late.

Bishnoi’s gang was looking to target Salman before Moose Wala over his involvement in the blackbuck poaching case. Rajasthan’s Bishnoi community is extremely protective of the species. In 2018, Bishnoi had sent his aide Sampat Nehra to attack the actor at his home in Mumbai. Nehra was later held in Bengaluru.

Mumbai crime branch is probing a case involving a threat letter received by Salman’s father Salim Khan during a walk at Bandra Bandstand. Meanwhile, a city crime branch team is in Punjab to quiz Bishnoi’s gangsters. Also, police have beefed up security and deployed a patrol vehicle near Salman’s Bandra home.

Following Salim Merchant’s announcement over the release of Sidhu Moose Wala’s song Jaandi Vaar on Friday, the late singer’s family instituted a suit for permanent injunction against Salim-Sulaiman and their company, seeking restraint on the release of the song. On Monday, a Mansa (Punjab) court gave an ex-parte ad-interim order restraining the release of Jaandi Vaar. Salim, who had made the announcement on his Insta handle, had also said that the song would be available as NFT for the public on a digital platform.

Samarjit Patnaik, partner at Karanjawala & Co, the law firm that is representing Moose Wala’s family in the matter told us, “The Hon’ble Court has restrained the song’s release along with a direction restraining them from using, broadcasting, releasing, uploading, streaming the song in any manner. The music producers do not have the rights to release Moose Wala's song just because the recording was done in the studio where they were present.”

Punjabi music producer Bunty Bains, who was managing Sidhu’s releases with him, said, “We have been requesting Mr Merchant not to release Sidhu’s song or sell his e-signatures, merchandise and NFTs without obtaining the license and permission from his family. But this announcement on Friday by Salim on his Instagram handle caught us by surprise. Then too we requested him against doing so, but he didn’t take down the announcement for the song and lured Sidhu’s fans to buy unlicensed NFT’s, E-signatures and merchandise in Sidhu’s name. We want this case to be exemplary for others too who are contemplating leaking or releasing Sidhu’s music without his family’s permission. We are keeping tabs on all these activities and want those who violate this to be cognizant of this fact.”

Meanwhile, Salim posted an update on his Insta handle, saying, “We have decided to defer the release of Jaandi Vaar and will finalise the next release date after taking the blessings of Sidhu’s parents.”

Recently, music composer Salim Merchant posted on his Instagram handle that he was going to release a track by the late singer, Sidhu Moose Wala shortly. Salim says the track, Jaandi Vaar, a duet with Afsana Khan, was recorded in Chandigarh last year in July at a recording studio that belongs to Salim’s friend. Soon after this announcement, Moose Wala’s family and professional advisor took to social media, urging Salim against this release.

Addressing Salim’s post, Punjabi music producer Bunty Bains wrote on social media, “This release has not been authorised by Sidhu Moose Wala’s family yet. We have requested you multiple times even when you wanted to release the song just 3-4 days after Shubh veer left us and at that time as well during those circumstances Shubh veer’s father saab had sent you a voice note to hold on for any release so that family can first take some time and then discuss and understand the entire details of project with you and accordingly the future plan can be decided. I would really request you with folded hands that while we are anyways disappointed with various people putting out unreleased and leaked songs, we are hoping to get the support from such a well known artist and professional like you and to not put out any song yet without family’s confirmation and approval. Sidhu’s parents would be very pleased to meet you soon and discuss this project in person (sic).”

In his announcement, Salim also said that the song will be available as NFT on an online platform for people to buy. To this, Bains added, “Commercializing his vocals as well as his name in the form of NFT in addition to offering unlicensed merchandise of Sidhu Moose Wala… is entirely illegal.”

When we reached out to Salim, he replied, “All I can say is I wish Sidhu was alive, he wanted this collab as much as we did. Nothing else really matters.”

Soon after Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s death in May, we had reported that composers Salim-Sulaiman were looking forward to releasing a single with him in June. Now, the composer duo will drop the song, Jaandi Vaar, on September 2, as a tribute to Moose Wala. “It feels surreal that Sidhu is not around. This song was supposed to release on June 8 and he was assassinated on May 29,” says Salim Merchant.

Sharing how the track worked out, he adds, “In 2021, Afsana Khan (singer) suggested that we work with Sidhu. I had a Punjabi composition, so I went to meet him. When I played the composition, Sidhu said, ‘Sir, mujhe thoda waqt de do. I will definitely sing this, but I need time to prepare’. I figured that Sidhu preferred singing his own lyrics and compositions. I listened to one of his songs and loved it. So, I composed some notes for the female part (sung by Afsana) and the song went on to become Jaandi Vaar.”

Salim took to social media to share that some proceeds from the song’s earnings would go to the late musician’s family. “We connected with his company, which is a platform where you can own a part of the song for a certain amount of money. So, every time the song makes money, we get equity. It was a great way to create a fund that can be given to Sidhu’s family. This is a way for me and Sulaiman to pay respects to his family and to keep Sidhu alive in our hearts forever,” he wraps up.

The Mumbai police have issued a weapon licence to actor Salman Khan. This comes after the actor and his father Salim received death threats last month, which prompted Khan to approach Commissioner of Police Vivek Phansalkar for the licence for security purposes. Senior police officers said Khan was granted the licence days after he met the CP at his office in Crawford Market.

In May, Khan and his father received a threat that they would meet the same fate as Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, who was killed at Mansa village by alleged members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang earlier that month. The Bishnoi gang had in 2018 issued a similar threat against the actor. According to cops, Salim Khan’s security personnel had found the threat letter when he was on his daily morning walk at Bandstand promenade. The note read, “Moose Wala jaisa kar dunga.”

Soon after this, the Mumbai police registered a First Information Report (FIR) for allegedly issuing death threats to the father-son duo and began a probe. The crime branch also conducted a parallel probe. However, the perpetrators have not been traced yet. Meanwhile, Khan’s security has been beefed up for protection.

This is not the first time Khan received threats. In 2018 when the trial of the blackbuck poaching case was underway, Bishnoi had allegedly threatened the actor. The gangster who belongs to the Bishnoi community considers blackbucks to be sacred animals and claimed that the actor’s involvement in the case had hurt the sentiments of their community.

Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, an accused in the murder case of Sidhu Moose Wala, reportedly revealed during investigation that he was plotting to kill Salman Khan in 2018. Bishnoi is believed to have told officials that his community members will not forgive Salman, unless he “apologizes for killing black buck”, which is considered sacred by the Bishnoi community.

HGS Dhaliwal, Special CP, Special Cell, Delhi Police, told us, “Something to this extent had come up during the investigation. ”

“Sampat Nehra, a key member of the Bishnoi gang went to Mumbai a couple of years back and he stayed there with the intention of killing Salman Khan. When Nehra was arrested in 2018, he also revealed about the gang’s plan to kill Salman. A rifle was also seized, which was purchased for this purpose,” sources said.

As per a report, Bishnoi allegedly told the police that since Nehra only had a pistol and no long-distance firing weapon, he bought a special RK Spring rifle worth Rs. 4 lakh for the purpose of murdering Salman. Delhi Police officials earlier confirmed that two attempts were made to kill Salman in 2018-19.

Just days after Moosewala’s murder, Salman and father, Salim Khan, had received a threat letter, that read: “Salim Khan, Salman Khan Bahut Jald Aapka Moose Wala Hoga. . . (sic)” Mumbai police confirmed Bishnoi’s gang’s involvement in the letter.

Earlier this month, a lawyer representing Salman had also alleged that he received a death threat from the same gang. An FIR was filed, and police said they had initiated an investigation into the letter’s authenticity.

Mumbai: Police probing the death threats received by film producer Sandeep Singh on his Facebook Messenger are tracking the internet protocol (IP) address of the unknown person who issued the threats. The sender’s name mentioned on the FB page is “Krishna Singh Rajput.” Rajput’s FB status shows that he hails from Siwan in Bihar and that he currently lives in Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.

Singh filed the complaint with Amboli police on June 6 after receiving the threat for the fifth time by the same person in the last few days. DCP (Zone IX) Manjunath Singe said they have formed a team that is tracking the suspect involved in the case.

Since the threat message received by Singh refers to the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, the police are probing whether the suspect in this case has any link with the threats issued to actor Salman Khan.

Mahakal was arrested by Pune Rural police in the murder of a criminal

Following disclosures by Siddhesh Hiraman Kamble, alias Saurav, alias Mahakal, the Mumbai Crime Branch have formed three different teams in search of the persons who are suspected to have left a threat note near Salman Khan’s Bandra home.

Sources said investigators have zeroed in on some suspects and sent the teams to Rajasthan and Maharashtra’s Palghar district.

The suspects came on the radar of the Crime Branch during scanning of footage from a few CCTV cameras and the interrogation of Mahakal, who was arrested by the Pune Rural police in the murder of a criminal. Mahakal is also an accused in the Sidhu Moose Wala case and his name was released by the Punjab police.

“Our teams are searching for a few suspects at different locations who are involved in giving the threat to a Bollywood actor. The investigation is at the initial stage and we cannot reveal much now,” a Crime Branch officer said.

The Pune Rural police have also got some crucial leads in the death threat to Salman Khan. “We have sent one team to Delhi to interrogate Lawrence Bishnoi to ascertain how his gang is active in Maharashtra and who are the other members and if they are making some conspiracy which may disturb the law and order in the state,” said Kulwant Kumar Sarangal, state’s ADG (law and order).

He added, “The teams will also interrogate him about the threat note found outside a Bollywood celebrity’s house.”

Mumbai Crime Branch has also interrogated Bishnoi in Delhi, while DCP of Crime Branch Sangramsinh Nishandar interrogated Mahakal in Pune.