Latest news with #SidhuMooseWala
Indian Express
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Guns and Roses: Life and Death of Sidhu Moose Wala
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
India Today
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Sidhu Moose Wala's 3 unreleased songs out on his birth anniversary, go viral
Three unreleased tracks by the late Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moose Wala have been released on YouTube and Spotify to mark his 32nd birth anniversary. Titled '008', 'Take Notes' and 'Neal', the songs crossed one million views within hours of their release and made their way to the top of YouTube's trending also shared their love for the late Punjabi rapper in the comment section of the songs on YouTube and expressed how much they miss Meanwhile, BBC released a two part documentary on Sidhu Moose Wala, titled 'The Killing Call' on YouTube. The documentary was released despite a petition filed by the late singer's father in Mansa court seeking a stay on its screening. The court is scheduled to hear the petition on June the BBC had originally planned to release the documentary at a cinema hall in Mumbai, the plan was later changed due to legal challenges. The documentary showcases Sidhu's early life, his journey to fame, the controversies surrounding him and his tragic death. It also features an interview with gangster Goldy Brar, who killed Moose Wala in 2022.'On 29 May 2022, Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was murdered by hired gunmen who tracked his car, shot him through the windshield, and left him to die. Afterward, gangster Goldy Brar publicly claimed responsibility for the killing. But nearly three years later, no one has been convicted, the motives remain unclear, and Brar is still at large. BBC Eye Investigations has spoken to people close to Sidhu, tracing his rise from rural Punjab to global stardom, examining how he became entangled with one of India's most feared criminal networks, and asking why he was targeted (sic),' the BBC wrote in the description of the documentary on YouTube. advertisementMoose Wala is one of the most popular Punjabi rappers of all time. He rose to fame with his song 'So High' in 2018. Some of his other popular songs include 'Issa Jatt', 'Same Beef' with Bohemia, 'Old Skool', 'Bambiha Bole', 'Legend', 'Goat' and 'Never Fold'. The Punjabi rapper also made his acting debut with a Punjabi film titled 'Yes I Am Student'. He later appeared in 'Tere Meri Jodi'.Trending Reel
News18
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
'The Killing Call': BBC Drops Sidhu Moose Wala's Docu On YouTube After Father Requests To Ban It
Last Updated: On June 11, BBC World Service released a documentary on Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala even after his father filed a complaint requesting the banning of the screening. BBC World Service has released a two-part documentary, titled 'The Killing Call', on the Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu on June 11, focusing on how he was killed at a young age. The foreign media house released the documentary on Moose Wala's birth anniversary. Days before, Moose Wala's father had filed a petition in the Mansa court in Punjab seeking a stay on the documentary's screening. The court will be hearing the petition on June 12. Despite the Moose Wala family's objections to the documentary, the two-part documentary was published by the BBC. The documentary was published before the family was able to release their own tribute which is an extended play (EP) of the singer's unreleased songs. The documentary features gangster Goldy Brar's audio interview. Brar has been accused of orchestrating the assassination of Moose Wala on May 29, 2022, in Jawahar Ke village, Mansa district. It also contains interviews with some of the senior police officials from Punjab and Delhi, journalists and Moose Wala's old friends. Earlier, the BBC had decided to screen the documentary in a Mumbai cinema hall. However, the plan was cancelled after the controversy, and the media house decided to release it on YouTube instead. In the YouTube video's description, the BBC wrote: 'On 29 May 2022, Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was murdered by hired gunmen who tracked his car, shot him through the windshield, and left him to die. Afterwards, gangster Goldy Brar publicly claimed responsibility for the killing. But nearly three years later, no one has been convicted, the motives remain unclear, and Brar is still at large. BBC Eye Investigations has spoken to people close to Sidhu, tracing his rise from rural Punjab to global stardom, examining how he became entangled with one of India's most feared criminal networks, and asking why he was targeted." 'This is a story that spans rural Indian villages, Canada's hip-hop scene, the complex history of Punjab, and the evolving political climate in India. It also ventures into the hidden world of organised crime and includes a chilling phone call with the fugitive gangster who claims to have ordered the killing. Featuring exclusive access to Moose Wala's friends and collaborators, and previously unseen archive material, the film includes voices speaking publicly for the first time," they added. Moose Wala's father, Balkaur Singh Sidhu, in his complaint, had said that a programme is being organised by BBC World Service on June 11 at 3 pm to screen Sidhu Moose Wala's documentary in Juhu. The father had raised concerns that the documentary may destroy his son's legacy. First Published: June 11, 2025, 13:18 IST
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Gangster tells BBC why India's biggest hip-hop star was murdered
It was a killing that shocked India: Punjabi hip-hop star Sidhu Moose Wala shot dead through the windscreen of his car by hired gunmen. Within hours, a Punjabi gangster named Goldy Brar had used Facebook to claim responsibility for ordering the hit. But three years after the murder, no-one has faced trial - and Goldy Brar is still on the run, his whereabouts unknown. Now, BBC Eye has managed to make contact with Brar and challenged him about how and why Sidhu Moose Wala became a target. His response was coldly articulate. "In his arrogance, he [Moose Wala] made some mistakes that could not be forgiven," Brar told the BBC World Service. "We had no option but to kill him. He had to face the consequences of his actions. It was either him or us. As simple as that." On a warm May evening in 2022, Sidhu Moose Wala was taking his black Mahindra Thar SUV for its usual spin through dusty lanes near his village in the northern Indian state of Punjab when, within minutes, two cars began tailing him. CCTV footage later showed them weaving through narrow turns, sticking close. Then, at a bend in the road, one of the vehicles lurched forward, cornering Moose Wala's SUV against a wall. He was trapped. Moments later, the shooting began. Mobile footage captured the aftermath. His SUV was riddled with bullets, the windscreen shattered, the bonnet punctured. In trembling voices, bystanders expressed their shock and concern. "Someone get him out of the car." "Get some water." "Moose Wala has been shot." But it was too late. He was declared dead on arrival at hospital - hit by 24 bullets, a post-mortem would later reveal. The 28-year-old rapper, one of modern-day Punjab's biggest cultural icons, had been gunned down in broad daylight. A cousin and a friend who had been in the car with Moose Wala at the time of the ambush were injured, but survived. Six gunmen were eventually identified. They carried AK-47s and pistols. In the weeks that followed the murder, about 30 people were arrested and two of the suspected armed men were killed in what the Indian police described as "encounters". Yet even with arrests piling up, the motive remained murky. Goldy Brar, who claims to have ordered the hit, wasn't in India at the time of the killing. He is believed to have been in Canada. Our conversation with him unfolded over six hours, pieced together through an exchange of voice notes. It gave us a chance to find out why Moose Wala had been killed and to interrogate the motives of the man who claimed responsibility. Sidhu Moose Wala was born Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu in a Jat-Sikh family in rural Punjab, before moving in 2016 to Canada to study engineering - a journey familiar to hundreds of thousands in the Punjabi diaspora. But it was there, far from his village of Moosa - the inspiration for his rap name - that he reinvented himself as one of Punjabi music's most influential artists. In just five years, Moose Wala became the unmistakable voice of Punjabi hip-hop. With his signature swagger, flashy style, and lyrical grit, Moose Wala sang openly about identity and politics, guns and revenge, pushing the boundaries of what Punjabi music had been willing to say. He was fascinated by rapper Tupac Shakur, who had been murdered, aged 25, in 1996. "In terms of personality, I want to be like him," Moose Wala once told an interviewer. "The day he died, people cried for him. I want the same. When I die, people should remember that I was someone." Over a brief but explosive career, the singer spotlighted the darker undercurrents of India's Punjab region - gangster culture, unemployment, and political decay - while evoking a deep nostalgia for village life. Moose Wala was also a global force. With more than five billion views of his music videos on YouTube, a Top 5 spot in the UK charts, and collaborations with international hip-hop artists including Burna Boy, Moose Wala swiftly built a fan base stretching across India, Canada, the UK and beyond, powered by a diaspora that saw him as both icon and insurgent. But fame came at a cost. Despite his rising star and socially conscious lyrics, Moose Wala was drifting into dangerous territory. His defiant attitude, visibility, and growing influence had drawn the attention of Punjab's most feared gangsters. These included Goldy Brar, and Brar's friend Lawrence Bishnoi, who even then was in high-security jail in India. Not much is known about Brar, apart from the fact he is on the Interpol Red Notice list, and is a key operative in a network of gangsters operated by Bishnoi – orchestrating hits, issuing threats and amplifying the gang's reach. It is thought he emigrated to Canada in 2017, just a year after Moose Wala himself, and initially worked as a truck driver. Bishnoi, once a student leader steeped in Punjab's violent campus politics, has grown into one of India's most feared criminal masterminds. "The first [police] cases filed against Lawrence Bishnoi were all related to student politics and student elections… beating a rival student leader, kidnapping him, harming him," according to Jupinderjit Singh, deputy editor of Indian newspaper the Tribune. This led to a spell in jail which hardened him further, says Gurmeet Singh Chauhan, Assistant Inspector General of the Anti-Gangster Task Force of Punjab Police. "Once he was in jail, he started to get deeper into crime. Then he formed a group of his own. When it became an inter-gang thing, he needed money for survival. They need more manpower, they need more weapons. They need money for all that. So, for money, you have to get into extortion or crime." Now 31, Bishnoi runs his syndicate from behind bars - with dedicated Instagram pages and a cult-like following. "So while Bishnoi sits in jail, Brar handles the gangs," says Assistant Inspector General Chauhan. Securing BBC Eye's exchange with Brar took a year of chasing - cultivating sources, waiting for replies, gradually getting closer to the kingpin himself. But when we got through to Brar, the conversation cast new light on the question of how and why he and Bishnoi came to see Moose Wala as an enemy. One of the first revelations was that Bishnoi's relationship with Moose Wala went back several years, long before the singer's killing. "Lawrence [Bishnoi] was in touch with Sidhu [Moose Wala]. I don't know who introduced them, and I never asked. But they did speak," said Brar. "Sidhu used to send 'good morning' and 'good night' messages in an effort to flatter Lawrence." A friend of Moose Wala's, who spoke anonymously, also told us that Bishnoi had been in touch with Moose Wala as early as 2018, calling him from jail and telling him he liked his music. Brar told us that the "first dispute" between them came after Moose Wala had moved back to India. It began with a seemingly innocuous match of kabbadi - a traditional South Asian contact team sport - in a Punjabi village. Moose Wala had promoted the tournament which was organised by Bishnoi's rivals - the Bambiha gang - Brar told us, in a sport where match-fixing and gangster influence are rampant. "That's a village our rivals come from. He was promoting our rivals. That's when Lawrence and others were upset with him. They threatened Sidhu and said they wouldn't spare him," Brar told BBC Eye. Yet the dispute between Moose Wala and Bishnoi was eventually resolved by an associate of Bishnoi's called Vicky Middhukhera. But when Middukhera himself was gunned down by gangsters in a parking lot in Mohali in August 2021, Brar told us Bishnoi's hostility towards Sidhu Moose Wala reached the point of no return. The Bambiha gang claimed responsibility for killing Middukhera. The police named Moose Wala's friend and sometime manager Shaganpreet Singh on the charge sheet, citing evidence that Singh had provided information and logistical support to the gunmen. Singh later fled India and is believed to be in Australia. Moose Wala denied any involvement. The Punjab police told the BBC there was no evidence linking Moose Wala to the killing or to any gang-related crime. But Moose Wala was friends with Shaganpreet Singh, and he was never able to shake off the perception that he was aligned with the Bambiha gang - a perception that may have cost him his life. Although he can cite no proof of Moose Wala's involvement, Brar remains convinced that the singer was somehow complicit in the killing of Middukhera. Brar repeatedly told us that Shaganpreet Singh had assisted the gunmen in the days before Middukhera's shooting - and inferred that Moose Wala himself must have been involved. "Everyone knew Sidhu's role, the police investigating knew, even the journalists who were investigating knew. Sidhu mixed with politicians and people in power. He was using political power, money, his resources to help our rivals," Brar told BBC Eye. "We wanted him to face punishment for what he'd done. He should have been booked. He should have been jailed. But nobody listened to our plea. "So we took it upon ourselves. When decency falls on deaf ears, it's the gunshot that gets heard." We put it to Brar that India has a judicial system and the rule of law - how could he justify taking the law into his own hands? "Law. Justice. There's no such thing," he says. "Only the powerful can... [obtain] justice, not ordinary people like us." He went on to say that even Vicky Middukhera's brother, despite being in politics, has struggled to get justice through India's judicial system. "He's a clean guy. He tried hard to get justice for his brother lawfully. Please call him and ask how that's going." He appeared unrepentant. "I did what I had to do for my brother. I have no remorse whatsoever." Outside the UK, watch on YouTube, or listen on The killing of Moose Wala has not just resulted in the loss of a major musical talent, it has also emboldened Punjab's gangsters. Before the singer's murder, few outside Punjab had heard of Bishnoi or Brar. After the killing, their names were everywhere. They hijacked Moose Wala's fame and converted it into their own brand of notoriety - a notoriety that became a powerful tool for extortion. "This is the biggest killing that has happened in the last few decades in Punjab," says Ritesh Lakhi, a Punjab-based journalist. "The capacity of gangsters to extort money has gone up. [Goldy Brar]'s getting huge sums of money after killing Moose Wala." Journalist Jupinderjit Singh agrees: "The fear factor around gangsters has risen amongst the public." Extortion has long been a problem in the Punjabi music industry, but now after Sidhu's murder, Singh says: "It's not just people in the music and film industry who are being extorted - even local businessmen are receiving calls." When BBC Eye quizzed Brar on this, he denied this was the motive, but died admit - in stark terms - that extortion was central to the gang's working. "To feed a family of four a man has to struggle all his life. We have to look after hundreds or even thousands of people who are like family to us. We have to extort people. "To get money," he says, "we have to be feared."
India Today
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
BBC releases Sidhu Moose Wala documentary on YouTube despite father's plea for ban
Sidhu Moose Wala's docuementary released by BBC (Credit: Instagram/ sidhu_moose_wala_fanpage____) Documentary on Sidhu Moose Wala released by BBC on June 11 The singer's family had filed a petition in Mansa court to stay the screening Documentary features interviews with friends, police and gangster Goldy Brar A two-part documentary focusing on the killing of popular Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, widely known as Sidhu Moose Wala, was released by the BBC World Service on June 11. The release coincided with Moose Wala's birth anniversary, even as his father filed a petition in a Mansa court in Punjab seeking a stay on its screening. The court is scheduled to hear the petition on June 12. Despite objections and complaints from Moose Wala's family, the BBC published the two-part documentary before the family could release their own tribute, an extended play (EP) of some of his unreleased songs. The film features interviews with some of Moose Wala's old friends, journalists, and senior police officials from Punjab and Delhi. It also includes an audio interview with gangster Goldy Brar, who is accused of orchestrating Moose Wala's assassination on May 29, 2022, in Jawahar Ke village, Mansa district. The BBC had planned to screen the documentary in a Mumbai cinema hall on Wednesday evening. However, following the controversy, it opted to release the film on YouTube instead. The first episode of the documentary, titled 'The Killing Call', explores Moose Wala's early life, his journey to fame, and the controversies that surrounded him. The second episode delves into the events leading up to and following his murder. In the description of the YouTube video, the BBC wrote: 'On 29 May 2022, Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was murdered by hired gunmen who tracked his car, shot him through the windshield, and left him to die. Afterward, gangster Goldy Brar publicly claimed responsibility for the killing. But nearly three years later, no one has been convicted, the motives remain unclear, and Brar is still at large. BBC Eye Investigations has spoken to people close to Sidhu, tracing his rise from rural Punjab to global stardom, examining how he became entangled with one of India's most feared criminal networks, and asking why he was targeted.' 'This is a story that spans rural Indian villages, Canada's hip-hop scene, the complex history of Punjab, and the evolving political climate in India. It also ventures into the hidden world of organized crime and includes a chilling phone call with the fugitive gangster who claims to have ordered the killing. Featuring exclusive access to Moose Wala's friends and collaborators, and previously unseen archive material, the film includes voices speaking publicly for the first time," they added. While talking to India Today, the singer's father confirmed that 'we objected over the documentary and the release is without our consent. We have taken the matter to the Mansa court but will soon move the High Court on this." Earlier, in a complaint filed with the Maharashtra DGP and Mumbai's Juhu Police Station, Balkaur Singh Sidhu said that BBC World Service was organising a programme on June 11 at 3 pm to screen Sidhu Moose Wala's documentary in Juhu. BBC reportedly sent out invitations to people earlier, claiming that the documentary, which was about to be screened in theatres in Mumbai, carried facts about the Punjabi singer that hadn't been revealed or published anywhere. The singer's father earlier alleged that the documentary may be an attempt to spoil his son's legacy. A two-part documentary focusing on the killing of popular Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, widely known as Sidhu Moose Wala, was released by the BBC World Service on June 11. The release coincided with Moose Wala's birth anniversary, even as his father filed a petition in a Mansa court in Punjab seeking a stay on its screening. The court is scheduled to hear the petition on June 12. Despite objections and complaints from Moose Wala's family, the BBC published the two-part documentary before the family could release their own tribute, an extended play (EP) of some of his unreleased songs. The film features interviews with some of Moose Wala's old friends, journalists, and senior police officials from Punjab and Delhi. It also includes an audio interview with gangster Goldy Brar, who is accused of orchestrating Moose Wala's assassination on May 29, 2022, in Jawahar Ke village, Mansa district. The BBC had planned to screen the documentary in a Mumbai cinema hall on Wednesday evening. However, following the controversy, it opted to release the film on YouTube instead. The first episode of the documentary, titled 'The Killing Call', explores Moose Wala's early life, his journey to fame, and the controversies that surrounded him. The second episode delves into the events leading up to and following his murder. In the description of the YouTube video, the BBC wrote: 'On 29 May 2022, Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was murdered by hired gunmen who tracked his car, shot him through the windshield, and left him to die. Afterward, gangster Goldy Brar publicly claimed responsibility for the killing. But nearly three years later, no one has been convicted, the motives remain unclear, and Brar is still at large. BBC Eye Investigations has spoken to people close to Sidhu, tracing his rise from rural Punjab to global stardom, examining how he became entangled with one of India's most feared criminal networks, and asking why he was targeted.' 'This is a story that spans rural Indian villages, Canada's hip-hop scene, the complex history of Punjab, and the evolving political climate in India. It also ventures into the hidden world of organized crime and includes a chilling phone call with the fugitive gangster who claims to have ordered the killing. Featuring exclusive access to Moose Wala's friends and collaborators, and previously unseen archive material, the film includes voices speaking publicly for the first time," they added. While talking to India Today, the singer's father confirmed that 'we objected over the documentary and the release is without our consent. We have taken the matter to the Mansa court but will soon move the High Court on this." Earlier, in a complaint filed with the Maharashtra DGP and Mumbai's Juhu Police Station, Balkaur Singh Sidhu said that BBC World Service was organising a programme on June 11 at 3 pm to screen Sidhu Moose Wala's documentary in Juhu. BBC reportedly sent out invitations to people earlier, claiming that the documentary, which was about to be screened in theatres in Mumbai, carried facts about the Punjabi singer that hadn't been revealed or published anywhere. The singer's father earlier alleged that the documentary may be an attempt to spoil his son's legacy. Join our WhatsApp Channel
