Punjabi actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh has been making headlines for his Dil-Luminati tour. He has been winning the hearts of millions of his fans from across the globe with his power-packed concerts and performances. However, in a shocking turn of events, an Los Angeles-based choreographer and owner of RRB Dance Company, Rajat Rocky Batta, has claimed that all the 'desi dancers' in Diljit's tour were not paid.
Rajat took to his official Instagram account and penned a lengthy note to make the revelation. He stated that the dancers' community is happy for Diljit's success and praised him for his sold out tours across North America.
Sharing his ordeal, Rajat wrote, "While we as a Desi Dance Community are really proud of a Desi Artist breaking glass ceilings and doing sold out tours across North America... I still feel deeply disappointed that Desi Dancers are still undervalued as an industry. All of the Desi Dancers in Diljit's Diluminati Tour were not paid, and just expected to perform for free."
He added, "Desi Dance as an industry has become a lifeblood for artists and do a significant part in the entire ecosystem of the industry... while its choreography, stage performances, music videos, reels, to even promoting songs... It's an essential part of production and it's really disappointing to see an artist of this caliber cut corners by stepping on throats of Desi Dancer industry and continue to attribute to that culture. Diljit, we are very happy for your success, but your dancers should have been paid and been a part of the production budget."
Hours after Rajat shared the post, a few dancers who performed with Diljit during Dil-Luminati tour, penned an emotional note for the singer and stated that they are 'united' and added that they "do not wish to be represented by the voices who donβt understand our relationship, our motivations, sacrifices, and the immense value we place on such experiences."
"We are proud of our participation and the new avenues it has opened for the Punjabi community. Do not try to break our bond. We stand united," they wrote.
In a long social media post, they also praised Diljit. The note read, "With deep love, appreciation, and respect, we write this to honor the bhangra teams and the vibrant circuit that performed on the Diluminati Tour. This post speaks from our hearts, representing only our voices and our journey. From the moment we were contacted to the final performance, we were enveloped in respect and professionalism by Diljit Dosanjh and his incredible team. The love we received from Diljit is something we will cherish forever."
They added, "Performing alongside Diljit Dosanjh was a priceless opportunity that allowed us to showcase our Punjabi culture on a global stage. His extraordinary achievements in selling out multiple arenas and stadiums have placed Punjabis firmly on the map, creating opportunities that once seemed beyond reach."
Diljit has not reacted to the viral social social media posts and the shocking claims made by a few people yet.
