‘Dissent isn’t a bad thing’
Freedom can never be just a seven-letter word. For me, it has multiple meanings. It’s not just about unfurling the tricolour but an assurance that everybody will be guaranteed a life of dignity and respect. It is a space where sensitivity, empathy and nondiscrimination flow unhindered.
Freedom is also about the belief that dissent is not a bad thing. Yes, I sing lyrics that talk about Dalit empowerment. Call it Ambedkar folk or Chamar pop. I feel the essence of my songs exhorts people from across castes, age groups and economic backgrounds to take a relook at themselves and realise the need to fight against injustice and oppression. I have always felt free ever since I performed in front of an audience in Jalandhar when I was eight. When I sing songs, I remind people that it is important to follow their hearts.
I’m least interested in politics in the name of Dalit issues these days. What concerns me is that people across castes belonging to economically weaker sections are being exploited. Where is the freedom for women? Are they safe at workplaces, on the streets?
It would be unfair to say that the situation for Dalits has not improved over the years. I get immense respect from people all around me. They talk about my talent, not my caste. Frankly, I would not like to be known as a Dalit singer but a versatile one who is confident and aims to take the world of playback singing by storm one day. Yes, I want to sing songs highlighting the issues of the exploited, but not merely just those. When I sang Mein fan huun Baba Sahib di, in praise of B.R. Ambedkar, it was not to cash in on the popularity of the man who enjoys immense respect in our community, but because he talked about human values. Freedom for me is also the fact that I bond so well with my father, that I gossip with my friends, not as Ginni Mahi, the singer, but a 17-year-old who cannot help but giggle in her first year of college. And freedom for me is about not responding to Facebook messages from boys who like me. Why break anyone’s heart?