Latest news with #TheKillingCall
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Moose Wala documentary: BBC challenges civil suit, singer's father to file reply by June 23
The BBC World Service on Monday challenged the civil suit filed by slain singer Sidhu Moose Wala's father, Balkaur Singh, before a Mansa court, against the screening of a documentary on the singer 'The Killing Call'. Hearing the matter, duty magistrate Ankit Airi, an additional civil judge, directed Balkaur to file a reply at the next hearing on June 23. BBC lawyer Balwant Bhatia confirmed that no reply was filed today by the broadcaster, but an application was moved in the court pleading that the case is not maintainable. Bhatia said that the court passed no order on the documentary. Satinder Pal Singh, who is representing Balkaur, said that the plaintiff will respond to a BBC plea about the improper inclusion of parties in a suit. Balkaur filed a suit against BBC, investigative journalist Ishleen Kaur and programme producer Ankur Jain on June 10. Two other respondents were represented by GS Manna in the court on Monday. The documentary, focusing on the murder of Moosewala, was initially scheduled to be screened publicly in Mumbai on June 11, but due to the growing controversy and legal challenges, it was released on YouTube. The release went ahead despite a legal request from the singer's father, Balkaur Singh, who had approached the Mansa court seeking a stay.
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
Hindustan Times
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Game, gangs & murder: Kabaddi tourney that turned Sidhu Moose Wala into target
The long-standing gang rivalry that culminated in the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala reportedly began over a kabaddi tournament held in Bhago Majra village, near Kharar, in Mohali district in February 2020. Moose Wala was killed in Jawahar Ke village in Mansa district, on May 29, 2022. He was traveling in a jeep with two friends when he was shot. The murder was allegedly planned by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his associate Goldy Brar. The tournament, organised by youths affiliated with the Devinder Bambiha gang, is now being cited by both the police and gangster Goldy Brar as a key trigger in the deteriorating relationship between Moose Wala and jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. According to Punjab Police officials investigating the Moose Wala murder case, Lawrence Bishnoi had warned the singer not to attend the kabaddi tournament, as it was organised by rival gang members — Lucky Patial and his close aide Mandeep Dhaliwal. Bishnoi, who was in jail at the time, reportedly called Moose Wala and cautioned him against participating in any events connected to his enemies. 'This has come out during Lawrence's interrogation. He admitted that he told Moose Wala to stay away from the Bhago Majra tournament. When Moose Wala ignored his warnings, Lawrence told him to be ready to face the consequences,' said a senior Punjab Police official involved in the investigation. The tensions escalated quickly, with Moose Wala's continued associations with members of the rival gang perceived as open defiance by Bishnoi. In a BBC documentary — The Killing Call — gangster Goldy Brar also acknowledged the Bhago Majra tournament as the starting point of the dispute. 'That village belongs to our rivals. Moose Wala promoted them by attending the tournament. Lawrence was very upset and told him we would harm him for this. These mistakes were made in arrogance and were unforgettable,' Goldy Brar told the BBC. This was not Moose Wala's first appearance at events organised by the rival group. In 2019, he had also attended another kabaddi tournament organised by Mandeep Dhaliwal in Ferozepur Banger village near Mullanpur in Mohali. The situation further deteriorated just days after the Bhago Majra incident. On March 17, 2020, Surjit Bouncer, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, was gunned down at Sector 38 West light point in Chandigarh. Police suspect the Lucky Patial group orchestrated the killing, intensifying Lawrence's anger towards Moosewala. Investigations also revealed that Mandeep Dhaliwal and Lucky Patial had formed two music labels – Thug Life and Gold Music – allegedly to coerce singers into releasing music under their banners. Notably, Moose Wala later released a song titled 'Thug Life', which some interpreted as either a nod to or mockery of the rival group's branding.
Hindustan Times
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Moose Wala documentary: Mansa court directs BBC to file reply on June 16
A Mansa court on Thursday directed BBC World Service and two others to file their replies on June 16 in a civil suit related to the documentary on the murder of Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moose Wala. The matter was heard by civil judge (senior division) Rajinder Singh Nagpal where the counsel for BBC, investigative journalist Ishleen Kaur and programme producer Ankur Jain was ordered to file statements at the next hearing. BBC World Service released the two-part documentary, The Killing Call, on YouTube on June 11, coinciding with Moose Wala's 32nd birth anniversary. The documentary, focusing on the murder of Moose Wala, was initially scheduled to be screened publicly in Mumbai, but due to the growing controversy and legal challenges, it was released on YouTube. The release went ahead despite a legal request from Moose Wala's father, Balkaur Singh, who had approached the Mansa court seeking a stay. Balkaur's counsel Satinder Pal Singh on Thursday said that the counsel for the respondents requested the court hear the matter after the summer vacation. 'Following Balkaur's submission for an early hearing, the court accepted the plea and the respondents were directed to file their statements on Monday,' the lawyer said. Balkaur has already served a legal notice to the broadcaster and lodged complaints with Maharashtra Police, alleging that the documentary contains objectionable content, including personal testimonies and commentary on the Moose Wala murder which is under trial. Singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead at Jawaharke near his native village of Musa in Mansa district on May 29, 2022.
New Indian Express
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Gang rivalry, betrayal, and revenge: The inside story of Sidhu Moosewala's murder
A new documentary titled The Killing Call has shed more light on the murder of Punjabi singer and rapper Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead in broad daylight on May 29, 2022. The documentary includes revelations from Goldy Brar, a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who claimed responsibility for ordering the killing. According to Brar, Sidhu Moosewala was allegedly involved in the murder of Youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukhera, who was a close associate and mentor to both Lawrence Bishnoi and Brar. This, Brar says, was the main reason Moosewala was targeted. Sidhu Moosewala, born Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, rose to fame for his bold lyrics, flashy persona, and powerful commentary on Punjab's social and political issues. Originally from a small village in Punjab, he moved to Canada in 2016 to study engineering. He quickly gained international recognition, with more than five billion views on YouTube and collaborations with global artists like Burna Boy. Despite his fame, Moosewala's name became entangled in Punjab's ongoing gang rivalries. In The Killing Call, Brar revealed that Moosewala had a friendly relationship with Lawrence Bishnoi dating back to 2018. 'Lawrence was in touch with Sidhu. I don't know who introduced them, and I never asked, but they did speak. Sidhu used to send 'good morning' and 'good night' messages to flatter Lawrence,' Brar said. A close friend of Moosewala, who did not want to be named, confirmed the connection. 'Sidhu said Lawrence Bishnoi called me. Lawrence called him from jail. He said Lawrence liked his music and said Sidhu was doing really well. The communication between the two started in 2017-2018, and continued until after Sidhu moved back to India," the friend said.
