Diljit Dosanjh, the Punjabi singer and performer whose colorful, dance-packed set at Coachella became a viral sensation on the internet, has now also found success on the big screen with his new film, Jodi, Released by Rhythm Boyz Entertainment in the United States this weekend, the musical grossed $734,000 on just 125 screens. While modest compared to blockbuster U.S. releases, that’s a big number for a Punjabi film Stateside.
Written and directed by Amberdeep Singh, Jodi is a musical love story starring Dosanjh and Nimrat Khaira as two artists who set out on a painstaking journey to redefine the Punjabi folk music scene in the 1980s. In April, the film broke the record for the most viewed Punjabi trailer in 24 hours, with approximately 12 million fans watching on YouTube.
“He’s unique in that his overall presence, his attire, and his music are very traditional,” says Dosanjh’s manager, Sonali Singh. “He’s not trying to change to make himself into something that’s he not in order to reach out to a larger audience.”
Festival promoter Goldenvoice shared a reel of his first performance during Weekend 1 of Coachella. The clip garnered more views on Instagram than any other artist’s set posted from the official festival account.
“We knew that his performance was going to be appreciated, but the reception he received went well beyond our expectations,” says Singh. “And we also love the fact how his community and larger Indian audiences, along with other celebrities and media houses all across globe were able to come together for this moment and support Singh.”
Dosanjh’s mesmerizing set had called for 25 band members and 40 dancers, both of which needed to be reduced in size to accommodate time pressure and staging issues. Singh says that in India, Dosanjh’s performance was compared to an Academy Award win and was watched and commented on by most television outlets.
“It was a very proud moment for fans in India,” she says “Many back at home will never get to attend Coachella and his performance was very special for them.”
