Punjabi singer Satinder Sartaj feels that Punjab Government’s move to set up a Cultural Commission to put an end to vulgar songs will not solve anything.

Punjabi singer-songwriter Satinder Sartaaj doesn’t rule out the existence of ‘vulgarity’ in Punjabi music industry, but he is of the opinion that it’s not right to solely blame the artists for the trend. Reacting to the Punjab Government’s decision of setting up Cultural Commission to put an end to vulgar and violent songs, the singer says that he doesn’t feel it will solve anything.

“You cannot bring about this kind of a change by saying we will put a ban on this. It doesn’t work like this. You may put a ban on such songs, and people might follow it for a few days. But then, after some time, the trend will start again. It’s a kind of a problem that needs to be eliminated from its roots,” he says.

The 36-year-old, who is known for his songs such as Sai (2010), Yamaha (2010) and Soohe Khat (2013), feels that the government should invest time, money and energy in educating the masses, “especially youngsters” about such issues. “I have been saying this for the last four years now. People [in power] have to go to colleges and universities. Our country is a land of traditions, and people respect that. Adobe premiere pro cs6 templates. You have to teach youngsters to follow right ideals. You cannot ban artists and expect things to be alright,” says the sufi singer.

Sartaaj feels that it’s the “demand” that sets a trend. “I want to tell the audiences that if they want vulgarity to stop, they have to take the first step. If they like listening to a song, they should [first] think if their mother, father, brother or sister will also be able to enjoy the song,” he says, adding that musicians should be “responsible role models”.

“My appeal to musicians and lyricists is that if they can, [they should] refrain from writing ‘such’ songs — it’s obviously better. Freedom of speech is practiced everywhere in the world, but you have a responsibility towards your social environment. So, artists should be a bit more careful,” he says.

Talking about the fan culture in Punjab, he says, “When they (fans in Punjab) see some Punjabi singer, who probably was from their own town or college, they relate [to him or her], and start to behave like them as well.”

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First Published: Apr 20, 2018 17:25 IST

Dr. Satinder Sartaj (born 31 August 1982), born as Satinder Pal Singh Saini in a Punjabi Saini family, is an Indian Punjabi singer, song writer, actor and poet. He has sung many Sufi songs.^[1][2] He gained fame with his hit song 'Sai'. Since then his popularity has seen a constant surge among the Punjabi diaspora with his shows being held in many countries across the world.^[3] He is considered as a scholar of Gurmukhi language, Punjabi culture, traditions and folk. He made his film debut as Maharaja Duleep Singh in The Black Prince in 2017.

Early Life and Marriage[edit]

Sartaaj was born into a Sikh family in the village Bajrawar, Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India. He attended school at the government elementary school in his village. While in 3rd grade, he began performing. Sartaaj married his wife, Gauri, on 9 December 2010 at the Taj Hotel in Chandigarh.^[4]

Education[edit]

While most folk singers and movie singers in India are not known for their educational qualifications, Sartaaj has obtained a honors degree in Music from Government College^[5], Hoshiarpur. He concentrated on his sufiana musical career completing his M. Phil in Sufi music singing and later a PhD in Sufi singing (gayan) from Punjab University, Chandigarh.^[6] He also taught music at Punjab University for six years. Satinder also completed a certificate course and Diploma in Persian language.^[1] He started writing poetry and adopted his Takhallus, Sartaaj while at college.^[7]

Performances[edit]

Sartaaj started performing majlis (singing in front of small gatherings) in Punjab in 1999.^[8] He appeared on Zee TV's Antakshari show, a popular Indian musical show hosted by Annu Kapoor, performing in the folk category and won appreciation. He was a first runner-up in the 24th All-India Light Vocal Festival and a topper in the Punjab Heritage Foundation Competitions. On 2 May 2014, Sartaaj performed in the Royal Albert Hall.^[9]He debuted in the American film industry with the lead role in movie The Black Prince, a historic biopic of Maharajah Duleep Singh which was released on 21 July 2017.^[10]

Philosophy[edit]

Although he has taught at university and is an accomplished bhangra performer, musician, composer and singer, Sartaaj has said that he considers shayari (poetry, specifically the Punjabi/Mughal style of poetry) as his first love.^[11]

He says his second love is old building architecture. In several interviews he has also acknowledged a deep interest in nature, developed as a result of growing up on a farm in the village where his father was sarpanch.

Sartaaj has repeatedly stated that he does not aim for commercial success, although often conceding that during concerts he has to bow to the desires of the audience who want to hear older songs rather than the newer songs he wishes to establish.

Discography[edit]

Sartaaj released his first official,commercial album in 2010.^{[12][13][14][15][16][17][18]}

Filmography[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abSharma, S.D. (17 February 2006). 'Sufiana Spell'. The Tribune Lifestyle. Chandigarh. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
2. ^Kapoor, Karan (30 August 2009). 'Dr. Satinder Sartaj takes Sufism to music lovers across the world'. Thaindian. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
3. ^Chhibber, Charu (14 August 2010). 'Stirring the soul with Sufi music'. The Tribune. Ludhiana. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
4. ^'Satinder Sartaaj'. desiblitz.com.
5. ^'Satinder Sartaaj'. satindersartaaj.com. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
6. ^'SATINDER SARTAAJ BIOGRAPHY'. www.punjabish.com.
7. ^'Official website of Satinder Sartaaj'. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
8. ^'Interview with Raaj 91.3FM (UK)'. YouTube. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
9. ^'Royal Albert Hall poster'. Punjab2000.
10. ^'The Black Prince movie review: Strong subject, poorly executed'. Hindustani Times. 22 July 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
11. ^'PTC Punjabi - Showcase Black Prince'. YouTube. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
12. ^Desiest: Satinder Sartaaj's Albums
13. ^ ^ab'Satinder Sartaaj'. satindersartaaj.com. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
14. ^ ^ab'Satinder Sartaaj'. satindersartaaj.com. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
15. ^ ^abcd'Satinder Sartaaj'. satindersartaaj.com. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
16. ^ ^abc'Satinder Sartaaj'. satindersartaaj.com. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
17. ^ ^ab'Satinder Sartaaj'. satindersartaaj.com. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
18. ^ ^ab'Satinder Sartaaj'. satindersartaaj.com. Retrieved 14 April 2019.