advanceindianews.in
Diljit Dosanjh has been accused of not paying his background dancers during his current international tour.
Diljit Dosanjh is receiving a lot of love from the desi community around the world for Performing in sold-out stadiums in Canada and the United States But now allegations have surfaced that the background dancers on his Dil-Luminati tour are not being paid. Entrepreneur Rajat Batta, who is based in Los Angeles and also owns a few dance institutes, took to his social media to share that while the community is very proud of Diljit’s achievements, it is disheartening to see that his background dancers are expected to perform without any remuneration.
Tagging Diljit on Instagram, he shared that they are proud of Diljit for breaking the glass ceiling but added that he feels “deeply disappointed that desi dancers continue to be undervalued as an industry. None of the desi dancers on Diljit’s Diluminati Tour were paid and were only expected to perform for free.” He added, “It’s really disappointing to see an artist of this calibre cutting corners by trampling on the desi dancer industry and continuing to ascribe to that culture. Diljit, we are so happy for your success but your dancers should have been paid and been a part of the production budget.”
You have exhausted your
Monthly limit of free stories.
Read more stories for free
with an Express account.
Invest in democracy. Full access to Express for just Rs 999 per year
This premium item is free for now.
Sign up to read more free stories and access partner offers.
Invest in democracy. Full access to Express for just Rs 999 per year
This content is exclusive for our subscribers.
Subscribe now to get unlimited access to The Indian Express’ exclusive and premium stories.
READ ALSO | Bad Newz Movie Review: Triptii Dimri holds her own against a charming Vicky Kaushal
Responding to Rajat’s claims, some dancers who have worked with Diljit on the tour posted a statement saying they were honoured to serve the community and called it a “priceless opportunity” that allowed them to showcase “Punjabi culture on a global stage.” The post further said, “Every performance is a tribute to our virsa, which preserves the pure folkloric bhangra traditions that we hold dear. Sharing our art form on such a prestigious platform is a priceless reward in itself.”
They insisted that they decided to act voluntarily and thanked Diljit for the opportunity. “While we appreciate your concern, we do not wish to be represented by voices who do not understand our relationship, our motivations, sacrifices and the immense value we place on such experiences. We are proud of our participation and the new avenues it has opened for the Punjabi community. Please do not try to break our bond. We stand united.” The post was signed by “All Bhangra teams and captains.”
While the post doesn’t outright say whether they were paid or not, it clearly implies that the dancers were only promised “opportunities” and did not receive any remuneration for their time and effort on stage. Diljit’s manager Sonali Singh has reposted the statement highlighting the paragraph that says the dancers “do not wish to be represented by voices that do not understand our relationship.”
Diljit Dosanjh has not yet made any statement on the matter.
Click here for more updates and latest Bollywood news along with entertainment updates. Also get all the latest news and top headlines from India and around the world at The Indian Express.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
First uploaded on: 19-07-2024 at 12:13 IST
