Diljit Dosanjh has earned plaudits for his portrayal of Joginder ‘Jogi’ Singh in filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar’s Jogi, which recalls the horrors of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. There has been no looking back for the singer-turned-actor since he began his acting career in 2011.
Here we pick some of Diljit’s top performances in both Punjabi and Hindi films that you can watch online.
Shivjeet Singh Mann in Punjab 1984 (2014)
A still of Diljit Dosanjh and Kirron Kher in Punjab 1984. Twitter
Anurag Singh’s period drama Punjab 1984 revolves around the 1984–86 Punjab insurgency’s impact on social life. Diljit plays Shivjeet Singh Mann aka Shiva, a youthful college student, who becomes involved in the separatist movement after his father was killed during Operation Blue Star and then was tortured in custody. Diljit effectively channels the fear and rage of Punjab’s youth during those trying times. Punjab 1984 won the Best Feature Film in Punjabi award at the 62nd National Film Awards.
Watch it on: Amazon Prime Video
Sartaj Singh in Udta Punjab (2016)
A still of Diljit Dosanjh in Udta Punjab. Twitter
In Abhishek Chaubey's 2016 black comedy crime drama, which sheds light on drug abuse cases in Punjab, Diljit’s Sartaj is a corrupt junior police inspector who is happy to receive bribes from drug mafias until it affects his family — his brother overdoses but survives. The incident serves as an eye-opener for the police officer. He comes to realise the burgeoning problem of drug abuse in the state and vows to fight against this great evil at all costs. Udta Punjab marks Diljit’s Bollywood debut alongside established Bollywood stars like Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Shahid Kapoor.
Watch it on: Netflix
Roop Lal in Phillauri (2017)
A still of Diljit Dosanjh in Phillauri. Twitter
In this fantasy comedy directed by Anshai Lal, Diljit plays Roop Lal, an alcoholic Punjabi folk singer in pre-Independence India. The actor channels his roots in folk singing into the arch of the character. Roop Lal falls for Shashi (played by Anushka Sharma), an emerging revolutionary poet writing with the pseudonym Phillauri, and decides to only sing her poems and dedicate his life to the cause of independence. Diljit’s natural charm and dependable performance light up the movie.
Watch it on: Disney+ Hotstar
Sandeep Singh in Soorma (2018)
A still of Diljit Dosanjh in Soorma. Twitter
Diljit portrays former Indian national Hockey team captain Sandeep Singh in Shaad Ali’s 2018 biographical sports drama Soorma. The film shows the rise of Sandeep Singh as one of the brightest Indian Hockey stars. Diljit’s physical transformation to portray an elite athlete was commendable as he essayed the role of India’s famed penalty-corner specialist. Apart from his physicality, Diljit also showed his maturity as an actor in the intense scenes. The actor also perfectly portrays the mannerisms of the athlete he portrayed right on point.
Watch it on: Netflix
Suraj Singh Dhillon in Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari (2020)
A still of Diljit Dosanjh and Manoj Bajpayee in Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari. Twitter
Diljit plays a wealthy dairy owner, who is desperate to get married, in Abhishek Sharma’s 2020 slapstick comedy Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari. Despite being good-looking and rich, he is rejected by prospective brides. He then learns that a certain private detective, Madhu Mangal Rane (played by Manoj Bajpayee), is doing background checks on him, which is the cause of his elongated bachelorhood. Suraj then vows to take revenge on Mangal by humiliating him via his sister Tulshi (played by Fatima Sana Shaikh). The actor received praise from critics for his brilliant comic timing and acting in this movie.
Watch it on: Zee5
