Days after a Los Angeles-based choreographer accused Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh of not paying dancers during his Dil-Luminati Tour in the US, his manager, Sonali Singh, has spoken out.
So what happened? Basically, LA-based choreographer Rajat Rocky Batta, who owns RRB Dance Company, wrote a lengthy post on Instagram, accusing the star of not paying his performers last week. He wrote: “While we as a Desi Dance Community are really proud of a Desi Artist breaking glass ceilings and doing sold-out tours across North America…I still feel deeply disappointed that Desi Dancers are still undervalued as an industry.
“All of the Desi Dancers in Diljit’s Diluminati Tour were not paid, and just expected to perform for free…Diljit, we are very happy for your success, but your dancers should have been paid and been a part of the production budget.”
Singh cleared the air by issuing a statement. The statement, as reported by Times of India, says: “Our official team never contacted Rajat Batta or Manpreet Toor who are presenting false narratives on social media. Rajat and Manpreet were not part of the Dil-Luminati Tour in any way.”
She added that the tour’s official choreographers were Balwinder Singh, Preet Chahal, Divya, and Parth from Vancouver.
However, even before Singh came to his defence, Dosanjh’s dancers posted a response. They wrote: “This post speaks from our hearts, representing only our voices and our journey. Performing alongside Diljit Dosanjh was a priceless opportunity that allowed us to showcase our Punjabi culture on a global stage. Our dedication to Bhangra and our cultural heritage is fuelled by a profound respect for our ancestors. We stand united in our decision to perform, made with full awareness and acceptance. While we appreciate the concern, we do not wish to be represented by the voices who don’t understand our relationship, our motivations, sacrifices, and the immense value we place on such experiences.”
Dosanjh, who performed on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, recently announced his plans to bring his high-energy tour to the UAE.