Guns and Roses: Life and Death of Sidhu Moose Wala

Indian Express

a day ago

The meteoric rise of Punjabi folk singer and rapper Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu aka Sidhu Moose Wala — from village Moosa in Punjab's Mansa, his ascent as a Punjabi artiste of note in Canada to becoming a full-fledged phenomenon back home — was cut short when he was gunned down in his car three years ago. He was 28, at the peak of his career, and adored by fans for his unique sound, which incorporated elements of hip-hop into traditional Punjabi folk and lyrics that addressed social and political themes, as well as issues of identity.
While it was evident even back then that Sidhu's killing was a result of rivalry between two gangs, with gangster Goldy Brar of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang even taking responsibility for the murder, the new, two-part BBC documentary The Killing Call takes a deep dive into Punjab's underbelly to find more. And it ends up ably connecting the dots between gangsters, Punjab's militant past, its politics over the years, the music industry and the tunes that stem from the idea of justice, ferocity and a certain righteousness in the same space, which when combined can be a volatile blend.
The result: the documentary ultimately presents a plausible case for explaining why Sidhu Moose Wala, a man of contradictions, was killed. It also tries to answer some gnawing questions: Was Sidhu simply a victim? Or was his closeness to various rival gangs and portraying himself as a gangster in his videos also a reason that resulted in that fateful evening in May? These questions have bothered fans, the police, investigative journalists and perhaps even Sidhu's parents, who have been seeking a ban on the documentary. His father, Balkaur Singh, has alleged that it could tarnish the slain singer's legacy and impact the ongoing investigation, besides infringing on the family's privacy.
ALSO READ | The real reason why Sidhu Moosewala was killed: Singer was in touch with Lawrence Bishnoi, rival gang; Goldy Brar says 'dispute over a kabaddi match'
The journey that producer Ishleen Kaur takes in The Killing Call, which was released by the BBC on YouTube, to get to the bottom of the matter, is quite unsettling and at times a hair-raising watch: footage of killings happening in broad day light, men roaming around freely with weaponry of the highest quality, the extortions, the music industry's links with gangs — it's all there. Except there are no conversations with other pop musicians and local labels, even anonymously, on the same. Through interviews with DJ Bobby Friction, Sidhu's friends, collaborators like Byg Byrd, managers, police officers and senior journalists, the documentary makes clear that Sidhu's 'musical gangster' image — where he posed with guns and sang of them but would still chide the government for not banning them — was embedded in a world where real violence was just one gibe away. A friend, who speaks anonymously, mentions that Sidhu was really troubled in his last days due to threats he was getting.
But the film's most chilling moment is the interview with Brar, who is on the run in Canada. It's a bold get. His icy composure when he talks of Sidhu's murder as vengeance or when the actual killers call Bishnoi in jail to inform him about the job done is bone-chilling. Vendetta can take people to dark places. 'In his arrogance, he made some mistakes that could not be forgiven… When decency falls on deaf ears, it is the gunshot that gets heard,' says Brar, implying 'gangland justice'. That the documentary makers have peeled all the layers all over again, stumbled upon uncomfortable truths, to tell a story of an artiste caught between the spotlight and the shadows, is impressive. A must-watch.
The Killing Call
Produced by: BBC World Service
Streaming on: YouTube
Rating: Three and a half stars