Diljit Dosanjh talks about how his hard work has finally paid off, as he and female lead Neeru Bajwa make a guest appearance to promote their upcoming film Jatt & Juliet 3

Sheetal

Jatt and Juliet were in town. Yes, you heard it right, actors Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa for the promotions of their film Jatt & Juliet 3 held a press conference and we obliged. The busy schedule of actors didn’t allow them to find time for a one-on-one interaction and we understood. In an event, attended by the star cast, involving Diljit Dosanjh, Neeru Bajwa, and Jasmine Bajwa and BN Sharma, everything just happened in a scripted manner.

I have been in the industry for almost 22 years and have worked day and night to stand where I am today. — Diljit Dosanjh

It opens with veteran actor BN Sharma heaping praise on Diljit for staying connected to Waheguru and Punjab even when he has achieved worldwide acclaim. “There are very few actors who have maintained the ‘pride’ of turban while entering Bollywood. After Jaspal Bhatti, we have Diljit Dosanjhwho is taking Punjab and Punjabiyat wherever he travels.”

More than the actors speaking for themselves, it was the host-cum-journalist of a Chandigarh-based electronic media who spoke for them. In half-an-hour stretched and scripted event, the actors collectively spoke for just 10 minutes!

True Punjabi

Diljit, who took time out from his on-going Dil-Luminati tour, says he keeps coming back to Punjab to re-energise’ “I have promised to do one Punjabi film and an album each year. Baaki sab bachon, Punjab pehlan e.”

On the secret behind his success, Diljit says, “It’s not overnight fame. You can never make it happen in one day. I have been in the industry for almost 22 years and have worked day and night to stand where I am today. This cost me a lot of things, I couldn’t give my family much time. All those years of hard work have now paid rich dividends, but I have more things planned. Just wait and watch!”

Leading lady

In the film, Neeru plays a cop who is senior to Diljit in rank, but in real life she too is smitten by Diljit’s international fame. After all, the singer-actor, during his Dil-Luminati tour recently, addressed Neeru Bajwa from stage during an ongoing concert at Vancouver, Canada, calling her, ‘The Queen of Punjabi industry’. Apparently, the actress was moved to tears and so was her family! She shared, “My husband, Harry Jawandha, often shares his father’s story, a first generation NRI of his family who faced a lot of racism. But then, when I went to Diljit’s concert in Vancouver and saw foreigners grooving on his tunes, it moved me to tears. I had never expected such grandeur and that makes me proud.”

Notably, Diljit started his acting career opposite Neeru Bajwa in 2011 with Jihne Mera Dil Luteya. Neeru added, “I remember my six-year-old girl waiting for Diljit to appear at The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and later going to school and claiming, ‘Punjabi aa gaye oye’. The impact that his success has on kids is huge. We never had such representation to look up to in Bollywood or worldwide, but a turbaned Sikh being hailed on foreign shores is a confidence that Punjabis need.”

First steps

Jasmine Bajwa, who made her big screen debut against Diljit in Soorma, will also be seen in the film. “In such an initial stage of my career, if I am getting to be on the same shot as these legends, it’s great going,” Jasmine quipped.