Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh says no more shows in India until infrastructure gets better

During the Dec 14 performance in Chandigarh, Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh declared that he would not be returning to India until the nation's live performance infrastructure was improved.

With Dosanjh approaching the end of his wildly popular "Dil-Luminati Tour," which has attracted enormous audiences throughout North America, Europe, and India, the announcement was quickly spread via videos.

“We don’t have the proper infrastructure for live shows here. This is a significant source of revenue, and many people rely on it for work. Until the infrastructure improves, I won’t be doing shows in India again,” said Dosanjh.

In order to provide a more immersive experience, he also suggested that future performances have stages that are encircled by audience members on all four sides.

Dosanjh's "Dil-Luminati Tour," which kicked off in Vancouver, Canada, on April 27, 2024, has been an important achievement for Punjabi music.

Over 54,000 people attended his performance at Vancouver's BC Place Stadium, which was the biggest crowd for a Punjabi show outside of India.

He concluded the leg at Rogers Centre on July 13 after the tour went through major North American cities, including Edmonton, Dallas, and Toronto.

Dosanjh became the first South Asian performer to play three gigs at The O2 Arena during the European leg, performing in Paris, Amsterdam, and London.

Back home, he visited Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Bengaluru during his India trip, which started on Oct 26 in New Delhi.

The demand was so great that further shows were added.

After a show in Mumbai on Dec 19, the trip will culminate with a big finale in Guwahati on Dec 29.

Dosanjh honored Gukesh Dommaraju, the 18-year-old Indian FIDE World Chess Champion, with his performance at the Chandigarh exhibition, praising his tenacity and diligence.

There has been some controversy around the tour. Dosanjh came under fire for mispronouncing Punjab as "Panjab" in a social media post prior to his Chandigarh performance.

The spelling is linked to Pakistan, according to some supporters. More discussion was also triggered by the post's omission of the Indian tricolor emoji.

In response to criticism, Dosanjh denied any indications of hidden agendas and said the two spellings—"Punjab" and "Panjab"—refer to the same cultural identity.

Despite these problems, the 'Dil-Luminati Tour' was a huge success.