Singer Jasbir Jassi is unhappy with Bollywood's portrayal of Punjab

When Punjabi singer Jasbir Jassi was in the Capital at the recently concluded Mela Phulkari, an art and craft festival that celebrates Punjab’s rich cultural heritage, he didn’t miss the opportunity to express his love for Delhi and how the city was instrumental in shaping his career.

The singer, known for his songs such as Dil Le Gayee and Laungda Lashkara (Patiala House (2011), says, “Main music se dillagi ke baad dilli aa gya tha. My career, my profession and my cultural growth found impetus in Delhi.”

Jassi believes that Delhi is a hub of art and culture and the singer is often seen doing shows in the Capital. “You talk about any kind of art and Delhi has its fair share of it. I love performing here because people enjoy listening to my music. They not only appreciate my popular songs but also listen to folk music,” he says.

Though the singer is happy to see the Capital have a lot of ‘Punjabiness’ in its DNA, he feels Bollywood and the pop music industry is not doing justice in portraying Punjab’s culture.“Punjab and Punjabis have been gaining popularity in Bollywood. But the originality of the state gets lost somewhere in between.Bollywood mein jo Punjab dikha raha hai, woh bahut kharab hai. Woh reality nahi hai. (How Punjab is depicted in Bollywood is wrong and not the reality).”

Comparing Phulkari art with how Punjab is represented in Bollywood, Jassi explains, “With technological advancement, we are now following the West and there is no harm in it. But uske saath originality bhi zaruri hai. Ye aaisa hain ki, Phulkari ka colour utha lia aur usse high-street designer showroom main pahucha diya. Phir use kat, kat kar pata nahi kya bana dia (It’s like when you pick up a Phulkari artwork and send it to a designer showroom and they, keeping the colour intact, change the design of the work).”