Apr 04, 2025 06:12 AM IST
Parmish Verma talks to HT about why Punjabi songs mention guns so often and complaints that Hindi cinema isn’t held to the same standard.
Singer-actor Parmish Verma is one of the most popular faces and names in the Punjabi entertainment industry today. With his songs and films, the artist has not just amassed fans but left a mark on pop culture too. But quite very often, Parmish has faced criticism for promoting guns and violence through his work, a charge Punjabi artists face routinely. In an interview with HT, Parmish responds to the charges. (Also read: Parmish Verma was worried about shaving his beard for Kanneda due to his image, says friends didn’t recognise him)
Parmish Verma on Punjabi music promoting guns
When asked about why Punjabi songs are singled out for promoting violence or guns, Parmish talks about Punjabi love ballads first. “There are songs like Asi Tere Sheher Nu or Peed Tere Jaan Di (by Gurdas Maan). They are also Punjabi music,” he says, adding, “Any culture’s music is a reflection of their emotions. Even when talking about love, Punjabi music talks in excess, crossing all limits. They say Asi Tere Sheher Nu Salaam Kar Chale that I will even leave your city now.”
Justifying how guns and bullets fit into the Punjabi music scene, Parmish says, “Punjabi music goes to the depth of every emotion. If there is heartbreak, there is sacrifice. If there is annoyance, there is anger. And if there is rage, there is a gun. It’s about taking every emotion to the extreme.”
Parmish Verma’s gripe with critics
But the singer-turned-actor has a gripe against these critics who call out Punjabi music for promoting guns: why isn’t the same criticism meted out to other industries, including Hindi cinema? Parmish says, “We look at, let’s say, Hindi films, where they have 200 people holding guns and dancing. We look at that as just a song, but when a Punjabi singer holds a gun, they say, ‘Aap to guns ko promote kar rahe ho (you are promoting guns)’. There is more content created around guns in Hindi than from Punjab.
Parmish most recently appeared in his debut web series, Kanneda. The actor plays a Punjabi rapper-turned-gangster in 1990s Canada in the JioHotstar show. Kanneda also stars Zeeshan Ayyub, Ranvir Shorey, Jasmin Bajwa, and Aadar Malik.
