“The parents of Sidhu Moose Wala wished for the second child’s identity to remain a secret until after the baby was born. The majority of Punjabi media, particularly those in the Mansa and Bathinda regions, were aware of it. The relatives have attested to this. None of us, however, wrote about it.”
The parents of Sidhu Moose Wala have another son. Early on Sunday morning, his father, Balkaur Singh, shared a picture of the infant on Instagram. In his Punjabi post, he expressed gratitude to God and Shubhdeep’s millions of fans for their well wishes.
Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moose Wala, is a Punjabi musician and rapper who rose to fame in 2018 thanks to his music climbing the Billboard charts. He gained immense popularity not only in India but also among the Indian diaspora in the UK and Canada. His frank lyrics about violence in Punjab and sociopolitical issues won him millions of admirers as well as some detractors. On May 29, 2022, he was shot and killed in his Mahindra Thar while traveling to his aunt’s residence. A total of thirty shots were fired, including Moose Wala’s own retaliatory shot.
Journalist Jupinderjit Singh interviewed Moose Wala’s friends and relatives in Mansa (Punjab) to chronicle his ascent and fall after his mysterious murder. Singh discussed Moose Wala’s mother, Charan Kaur, his parents’ intense guardianship of Moose Wala’s legacy, and his baby sibling in an interview conducted in March 2024.
You have dedicated a chapter in your book about Sidhu Moose Wala to his mother, Charan Kaur. She says, “Someday, he will return,” as it concludes. Given Charan Kaur’s pregnancy, that almost sounds prophetic.
The family has always been surrounded by others, so even though my interviews with them haven’t been very long, the mother in particular has always expressed a desire and hope that Sidhu Moose Wala will return in some capacity. However, I don’t think I ever considered the possibility that they would become parents at some point. Perhaps they were looking to nature or another type of God. Indeed, upon reflection, it appears that this was a form of prophesy.
Could you briefly discuss how Sidhu Moose Wala’s mother in particular, and his family as a whole, influenced his political views and musical style?
Moose Wala’s mother was often worried about the violent imagery in his lyrics. She talked about it and asked him, “Why do you talk about death and murders?” I also address this in the book. However, some people understand this because Punjabis have witnessed a great deal of bloodshed and numerous conflicts. and particularly in that region, which is a hub for farmer movements. Thus, I would argue that they had some sort of faith in him. Additionally, Moose Wala was attempting to effect change. He made one adjustment that was clear: he wanted the young people to stay away from narcotics. He yearned for the next generation of Sikhs to be devout, rooted in their heritage, and engaged in farming in their villages.
Moose Wala has frequently been misinterpreted. There has always been a section of the Punjab government that claims he has been in favor of violence. Additionally, the media used to write about it; I have also written about it. Then, according to the national media and the media in Delhi, he is a Khalistani and supports secession. However, that is untrue. Moose Wala would not have joined the Congress if he was a Khalistani. the party that the Khalistan movement is attributed to, and which has suffered as a result of it.
He had visions of a more powerful Punjab. This was a chart of his dominion, the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He also used to display that map. Furthermore, Greater Punjab has always been a part of India. Regretfully, I never got to know him when he was still living; I enter their lives at the beginning of my work, which is about his murder.
Thus, Moose Wala hoped that India and Pakistan would once more be a single nation, this time inside India rather than outside of it. From his interviews, I was able to infer that. His goal was to establish the Greater Punjab, which had previously influenced Tibet and Kabul.
Based on your interviews, what details can you share with us about Charan Kaur?
Based on our interviews, Charan Kaur is an ordinary Indian woman who has put in a lot of work to provide for her family and spouse while living within her means. I don’t think she changed at all, not even in how she interacted with the villagers, even after her son gained such popularity. She was the same. In one of his songs, Moose Wala also mentions that he turned to his mother for serenity and humility. Charan Kaur is similar to that. She doesn’t say much. She would speak a word or two, then fade into the background, remaining in the background the entire time.
She pressed my book to her forehead as I presented it to her, as I recall. In the cover photo, she also gave Moose Wala’s cheek a gentle pat as though it were a newborn on her lap. I felt deeply moved. I hope everything works out for them. I wish this tragedy had not befallen Moose Wala. I hope that no parent’s child experiences such a tragedy at such an early age.
Given that Sidhu Moose Wala was raised in a specific era and environment, could you tell us a story or example that sheds light on how his upbringing and family life shaped his views and musical style?
Many people informed me that Moose Wala frequently discussed death when I was doing research for this book. He paid a premium and went against advice to purchase the property where his memorial now stands because it is not a particularly fruitful plot of land. However, he was after that land, and he would constantly remark, “This is where Moose Wala’s memorial will be held.”
He loved eating, especially stuff from the street. He will eat with anyone and anywhere. He was adored by everyone for the same reason.
