Mozez Singh took on the job of directing Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous with a simple idea—he wanted people to get inspired by the popular Punjabi musician’s life. Did that thought obstruct him from being objective about Honey, who has led a controversial public life and made music laced with sexist stereotypes?

“I had to maintain a balance between letting my feelings come in for Honey and his family, and do my job as a filmmaker. If I had let this balance go even for a second, my film would’ve become lop-sided,” starts Mozez, whose work on Zubaan (2015) landed him the Netflix documentary.

But being objective is easier said than done. Mozez remembers a moment during the filming when he found it particularly challenging to maintain objectivity.

“When I was talking to his mother about Honey’s mental health crisis, she would sound so emotional every time she answered. So, I had to have an inner dialogue with myself, ‘Am I manipulating the situation or am I asking her because I want to actually know?’ There were times when I wouldn’t go beyond a point because I didn’t want to manipulate them,” he states.

Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous offers an unvarnished, warts-and-all look at the rapper’s life, including his battle with bipolar disorder. Mention that the docu sensitively reflects Honey’s mental health condition, and the filmmaker pegs it to one factor—trust.

“He arrived at the point where he was willing to talk about it on camera, show his medicine pouch and pop the medicine on film. He trusted me by then; he trusted that I’d show his story with integrity and that I wouldn’t sensationalize his battle. He understood that I was hunting for the truth; I wasn’t there to make a puff piece on him. Once he understood that I’d never present [his mental health condition] in a way that would humiliate or embarrass him, he gave me everything.”

While the film delves deep into Honey’s mental health struggles, it skims through his alleged drug addiction. Mozez says he was conscious about not reducing the musician’s battle with bipolar disorder to his drug use.

“Honey was never a drug addict. It is a misconception. He dabbled in smoking pot, which he spoke about in the film. The mental health [condition] came at the same time. So, the stories became crazy where people said [it was] because he is on drugs. But it wasn’t drug [related], it was a mental health thing. So, I decided to focus more on his mental health. That was the truth. I thought if I emphasised his drug habit, it would seem like all of it happened to him because of the drugs. But it didn’t.”

One of the documentary’s highlights is Salman Khan speaking about his fondness for the rapper, who wrote and sang a track for Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (2023). What started as a shoot with Khan ended up as a long chat about fame, recalls the director.

“He had given us one hour of his time, but he was there for three hours. He answered everything that I asked. At some point, it stopped being a shoot and became a chat. It was interesting to talk to him about the price of fame because he has had his own journey with it. He was warm, kind and forthcoming. [People like him], who have such crazy fame, see it for what it is, but they are also deeply grounded in the reality of their own lives,” says Mozez.

He was at the perfect pitch of stardom. In the trance of super-success. He created any beat - desi or angrezi - and the nation rolled up their sleeves, pulled up their lungis and partied all night with abandon. More high on Honey, than any hard stuff. It was the reign of the Yo Yo Honey Singh brand of music.

Nothing could shake him; nothing could stop the rhythm of his rising stardom. So we believed. But suddenly, there was an interlude in this opus. Like the silent beat that exists between two notes. All Yo Yo fans kept dancing, while he disappeared, silently. For nearly two years. Without a final bow. Tabloids made headlines with rumours of him being in rehab because of drug overdose. Then, there were stories of his supposed mighty fall out with Shah Rukh Khan during an international tour. But they were all stories. And Yo Yo turned away and went on a long mute mode. After 18 months, he performed at a music award show, recently, picking up the notes from where he left, grooving to Lungi dance once again. But the past two years still remained a mystery, until now, when he broke his silence in this bare-it-all chat. He looked introspective and calm, rarely making eye contact. Maybe it gave him courage to say what he was about to.

“This is the first time I am talking about it as I want my fans to know what happened to me. Nobody knows about this, and I wanted to tell the world myself, not through a spokesperson. The last 18 months were the darkest phase of my life, and I wasn't in a state to talk to anyone. I know there were rumours that I was in rehab (for drug overdose), but I was in my Noida house throughout. The truth is I was suffering from bipolar disorder. It went on for 18 months, during which I changed four doctors, the medication wasn't working on me and crazy things were happening,“ he said, pausing, but determined to reveal more. “I must confess that I was bipolar and an alcoholic, which aggravated the condition.“

“It was scary. One year had passed and I wasn't responding to medicines, until a fourth doctor from Delhi treated me. At one point, I thought I would live in this darkness forever. I had cut myself off from everyone. I didn't come out of my room, forget stepping out of the house. I had a beard and I didn't get a haircut for months. For someone who has performed in front of a crowd of 20,000, I was scared of facing 4-5 people. That's what bipolar disorder does to you.“

So did his music give him some peace, some solace, I curiously asked. He breaks into a smile and says, “In that phase, I wrote 50-60 poems. They are like khuli shayari, so I can't make them into songs. One night when I couldn't sleep in spite of popping sleeping pills, I wrote and composed a song called Rise and Shine, after seeing my mom break down. She is the only reason I am here today.“

What did he fear the most? Losing all his stardom? “No, I didn't care about losing my stardom. I was scared about losing myself,“ he exclaims.Adding, “After the sun went down, I was scared of my own family. I wasn't behaving like myself. I was a sick person. I wasn't in my own control. But now it is all behind me and I've come out of it. I am under a doctor's supervision, and before doing this interview, I called and told him that I was going to tell the world about this. I think I'm not my own, or my parents' property. I belong to my fans who have made me. They needed to know, and this was the best time to talk about it. Today is also special as it's my birthday.“

Yo Yo is upbeat about performing at the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA) 2016 in Dubai, which will be held in partnership with Gulf Air and in association with Sanjay Ghodawat Group, on March 18. His fans will throng to watch him perform live in the city he calls his own. He excitedly says, “I have performed with Shah Rukh bhai and Jacqueline Fernandez in the past, but not with Salman bhai. So I am looking forward to interacting with him along with my performance, if he is in the audience.“

Talking about SRK, what about his fallout with him, where apparently the actor slapped Yo Yo in rage. “Nothing like that ever happened. During my low phase, a lot of people visited my place, including Bhushanji (Kumar). I got calls from Shah Rukh bhai, too. Recently, I met him at a show and we were chatting about films and music. He is amazing, he's not just a great actor, but also a superb personality,“ he explains.

The mood was getting lighter. Sometimes, truth doesn't feel like honey drops, but once told, it's not that bitter either. Yo Yo had revealed all that he wanted to, and the most daunting part was behind him. Now, looking ahead we talk about how he will make up for lost time.“Luckily, four of my songs released even while I was ill, and they did so well. I am getting into the groove. I don't plan too much, just let it flow. Now, I want to work more on contemporary music, as I have done a lot of dance music. I am bringing back street hip-hop again. The whole music scene here is urban and international, as compared to 10 years ago when it was dominated by Bollywood music.“

The lyrics of his songs have, often been severely criticised. Will that see a change? He explains, “Every revolutionary poet or lyricist has been criticised for something. If you come up with something new, there will always be people who will object to it. We have to keep going and see what the masses are listening to. I don't care about the ratio of critics as they are in hundreds, but the fans are in millions. They are the ones who matter.“

Quiz him about competition that hit a high note while he was in his low phase, and he nonchalantly brushes it off. “I don't consider anyone my competition. I am secure about my music. When some artistes give a hit song, they keep repeating themselves in the same genre. I always try to create something new. I started with Angrezi Beat. Everyone wanted that, but I moved on to Lungi Dance, then Party All Night. I don't need to position myself, my fans will. They know the difference between a luxury car and an ordinary car,“ he said, breaking into a laugh for the first time in the conversation.

Yo Yo will also be seen acting in an intense Punjabi action-drama, Zorawar, though he is not really trained for this. “Acting is seriously tough; my Bollywood debut was also unplanned, but I enjoyed it. I am an entertainer, we have just one life and I want to try everything.“ So, will he ever pen down his life in a book?

He quickly says, “I will publish the poems I wrote while I was battling my dark phase, and let the world know that side of my life. Some of my poems are hard to understand, but now when I read them I feel...sher bimaar ho, tab bhi sher hi hota hai.“

It's time for Yo Yo to bring out a fresh array of his trademark sunglasses, maybe. After all, he is finally out of the darkness.

Yo Yo Honey Singh sang his first Marathi song for Rohit Shetty's Singham Returns. Talking to us about the Singham in his life, he said, “My mother is my only real-life Singham. She is selfish only when it comes to me, but if I am okay then she wants to help the entire world. She brings happiness to everyone she knows. She does not reduce pain, but spreads happiness. And I have learnt this from her. And that is why I am an entertainer. She is happy and nothing has changed for her. I have some friends from Virar, who are Maharashtrians and who have been telling me, 'Bhai, you have to sing a Marathi song.' I would say to them, 'Haan yaar, mujhe sikhao toh sahi.' Luckily , when I pray for something, it comes to me automatically. I suddenly got a call at night and Aata Majhi Satakli got made that night.”

Honey is so loved today, so I asked him if he ever feels insecure about being replaced and he said, “Rajaon ka replacement ho jata hai, fakiron ka nahi. Saare fakir shaayar the, hum bhi shaayari karte hain. Fakir toh loton ke saath mar gaye, but the world loves them even today.”