Gurdas Maan
Gurdas Mann (Punjabi: ਗੁਰਦਾਸ ਮਾਨ, gurdĝs mĝn) is a Punjabi singer and actor. He was born on 4 January 1957 in Giddarbaha, Muktsar District, Punjab, India.
His song "Dil Da Mamala Hai" brought him national attention in India in 1980. Gurdas Maan was formally educated in Malout. After completing his education, his parents moved him to Patiala for further studies. He is of Sikh faith. The city fascinated him especially because it was home to the National Institute of Sports, as Gurdas is a keen sports enthusiast. He Joined the N.I.S and gained a Masters Degree in Physical Education.
He took part in youth festivals organized by various universities and won numerous awards for his singing and acting. He competed in many athletic events and won medals including a bronze at the National Championship. He is also a black belt in Judo.
In one of his stage play he sang a song which he wrote himself and called "Dil da mamla hai". The play was seen by a producer of a Jalandhar TV station, who than approached him for a TV recording of his song, which Gurdas reluctantly agreed to. When the song was aired on December 31, 1980 it stormed the nation and Gurdas Maan became a household name. The overwhelming success of the song grabbed the attention of HMV who wanted to record the song and from this came his second album in 1981.
He has produced over 27 albums and has written over 200 songs. He also wrote and directed TV programs like POP Time for DoorDarshan Delhi. When Gurdas Maan started his career as a performer, there was no market for solo singers, as the market was dominated by the duets. He declined many offers to perform as a duet as he was confident of becoming successful as a solo artist. Even today when organizers arrange for a group of artists to perform, he always perform solo. He has toured the globe and charmed audiences with his versatile performances.
Credit goes to Gurdas Maan for raising Punjabi music from a mere regional level to an international level by giving it a fresh look. The ever-popular "Apna Punjab hove" track has surpassed all other songs by Gurdas Maan. This track has received awards for The Best Song, Album & Best International Artist of the Asian Pop and Media Awards held in Birmingham in 1998. This song was orgnially written by Makhan Brar, who lives in Toronto. As Gurdas Mann was performing in his concert in Toronto, Makhan Brar handed this song to him. It became a good hit at that concert. Later on Gurdas Mann added a last verse to this song "marjaane Maana kion Punjab Janda khind da" and included it in his forthcoming album.
He starred in the hit film "Shaheed Udham Singh", where his true personality was highlighted as a Sikh man with no prejudices based on religion, caste or creed. As a singer Gurdas Maan has worked with music directors like Laxmikant Pyarelal, Bappi Lahiri, Anu Malik, Nadeem Sharvan, Amar Haidipur, Charanjeet Ahuja, Jaswant Bhanyra to mention but a few.
Aside from singing in Punjabi, he is fluent in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Haryanvi and Rajasthani. As an actor he has performed in Punjabi, Hindi and Tamil movies, most recently "Waris Shah - Ishq Daa Waaris," a depiction of the Punjabi poet Waris Shah's creation of his epic poem Heer Ranjha, again co-starring Juhi Chawla. Also he did a speacial apperence in Veer-Zaara with Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta.
Car Accident
Karnal, Haryana, India; 20 January 2007 : Punjabi singer-actor Gurdas Maan, escaped with minor injuries in his face, hands and chest. Maan's vehicle a import Range Rover sports utility vehicle (SUV) was heavily damaged in a collision with a truck near Madhuban in the district of Haryana. He was admitted to a Mohali Hospital where he was checked by doctors.
Medical Director of Fortis Hospital, Mohali, Dr. Ashok V Chordiya, address the reporters after an exam of Gurdas Mann, “All vital parameters are fine." After the X-rays, CT scans and ultrasound, turn out to be no fractures or internal injuries, and his condition is stable”.
Earlier this morning, Mann`s vehicle was coming North from Delhi on the National Highway One, when the accident occured. Karnal`s Superintendent of Police, Sibas Kaviraj said the singer`s driver suffered a fracture.
“I spoke to him over the phone and he said that he was fine,” Gurdas Mann`s wife, Manjeet Mann said.
This is the second car accident Gurdas Mann has been involved and escaped with an injury. On 9 January 2001 his Pajero SUV met head on with a truck, at a village near Rupnagar, Punjab. Mann's driver lost his life.
Traitor of Mother tongue(Punjabi)
In a conversation with a radio host, Maan was asked about the debate over Hindi imposition, to which he said: “This uproar is being created by idle people on Whatsapp and social media.Those who are hard-working continue to focus on nation building, their mother-tongue, culture and work in their own style.”
Maan said the nation should speak ‘Hindustani’—“a mixture of common words of Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi.”
The singer has been criticised heavily on social media for his views.
“We watch Hindi films and listen to Hindi music, so if can listen to it, we can also learn to write in Hindi,” he said.
Maan then referred to lines from his popular song ‘Ki Banu Duniya Da’, saying: “Har boli sikho sikhni vi chahidi. Par pakki vekh ke kacchi nai dhai di.”
Maan said: “One nation must have one language, so that one can get his words understood, even in south (India). If you cannot do so, what is the use of being a Hindustani? France has own one language and its people speak it. Similarly, Germany has one language that the entire country speaks.”
Many opposed to his remarks also protested at Maan's show in Abbotsford, Canada.[1]
He also used offensive vulgar language against a Punjabi Mother Tongue Support Protestor who was protesting in his Live Show in Abbotsford BC,Canada.[2]
Dera Worshipper/Cult Follower
Gurdas Mann, was booked for hurting religious sentiments by Jalandhar’s Noaksar Police, under Sections 295 (a) of the IPC. Incidentally, Mann was booked by police in the case despite having tendered an apology for the same.
Mann is the chairman of the Dera Murad Shah Committee located in Nakodar. The incident pertains to a religious programme that was organised at Dera Baba Murad Shah in Nakodar recently which was attended by Gurdas Mann. During the programme, a video of Mann had gone viral in which he is shown as saying that Laddi Shah, the chief of Dera Baba Murad shah, was descendant of third Sikh Guru, Amardas. Sikh organisations had immediately refuted this claim of Mann and said that there was no historical proof of teh same.
Jalandhar-based Siri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee had been vehemently protesting against Mann’s comments for the past few days, and though Mann had tendered an apology for the same, the committee refused to accept it and remained adamant that a case be filed against him for hurting the religious sentiments of the Sikh community.
On Thursday, Satkar Committee members gathered at Nakodar and marched towards Jalandhar where they blocked traffic on the highway to press for an FIR in the case. They threatened to intensify their agitation and launch protests across the state if their demands were not met. Following this, the Noaksar police swung into action and registered a case against Mann.
Source:- IndianExpress
Discography
He has released over 25 Punjabi folk albums and these 3 religious albums:
- Daati Asin Mangate Tere (2005)
- Kripa Daati Di(2002)
- Gal Paa Ke Maiya Diyaan Chunniyaan (2001)
Movies:
He also acted in over 20 movies of which the following are connected with Sikhi:
- Ucha Dar Babbe 'Nanak' Da
- Shaheed Udham Singh
- Shaheed-e-Mohabbat (Boota Singh)
See also
- See Wikipedia article on Gurdas Maan for more information
