Satinder Sartaj: The Black Prince, Quite Literally!

“Koyi Ali aakhe, koyi Vali aakhe

Koyi Kahe dataa, sache malka nu

Meinu samaj na ave, ki naam deva

Es gol chaki diya chalka nu…”

Some call him ‘Ali’, some call him ‘Vali’, some call him the ‘great giver’ (Daata), the true master of the universe

I cannot fathom what name to call him by… this master who makes our earth go round.

“Sai, sai ve sadi fariyad tere tayi

Sai ve bahon farr behra bane layi

Sai ve mereye gunaha nu lukhai

Sai ve hazra huzur ve tu ayi…”

Oh Lord our request is delivered to you,

now hold our hands and lead us ashore

Oh Lord forgive my sins

for you are everything O Lord.

Since he is regarded as the king of Punjabi music by both young people and older people, Satinder Sartaj doesn’t need an introduction. He is a singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, and even an actor, among other things. genuinely inspiring Through his poetry and songs, he engages, educates, and embraces his culture and history. His songs awaken the soul, free the mind, and mend the heart.

Sartaj is a gifted performer who possesses a remarkable capacity for transcendence. Even though he is one of a few number of vocalists with a doctorate in Punjabi-Sufi music, he has a fervent fan base and is well-known for his mesmerising performances. He is the first Indian man wearing a turban to walk the Cannes red carpet, though. As evidenced by his work with the UN to collect money for their initiative against human trafficking alongside icons like A.R. Rehman, Sonu Nigam, Quincy Jones, and President Jimmy Carter, music is clearly more than just a “money-making profession” for him.

Born in a sleepy little village of Bajrawar (Distt. Hoshiarpur, Punjab), Satinder Sartaj was enchanted by melodies from a very young age, the melodies emitting from instruments like flute and ‘Sarangi’ haunted him. His journey as a performer started when he was in third grade performing in ‘Bal Sabhas’ in his village school. He graduated in Music Honors from Hoshiarpur Govt. College. He went on to complete his M.Phil and Ph.D. in Sufi Music. Sufism always interested him; hence, we see a strong Sufi influence in his songs.

The abovementioned song, “Sai” was penned by him in 2010 and there has been no looking back since. In a matter of moments, Sartaj became a youth icon synonymous with the reflection of Punjabi culture and history.

The most enticing aspect of Satinder Sartaj’s personality is his poetry. Since childhood, he has been inspired by nature; beauty and fragrance of flowers, marvel of the rainbow, and melodies in flowing streams of water. He writes his own songs. There’s an interesting anecdote about his ‘stage name’, Sartaj. After he started singing, he felt that he should have a different surname and one night he could not sleep, so he woke up at 3AM and randomly wrote a song whose last line read, “tere sir taareyan da taaj ve”, that moment he took up the surname ‘Sartaj’. Coming back to his poetry, this year Satinder Sartaj launched his first Urdu poetry album titled ‘Shayarana Sartaj’. A few lines from the song ‘Inayat’ from this album are as follows,

“Kuchh inayat kijiye, kuchh meherbani kijiye

Guftagoon karke zara si toh aasani kijiye…

Vaise toh kissa hi poora keh diya nazaroon se par

mukhtalif si baat kuchh yon bhi zubani kijiye…”

Please grant me some favors gracefully by making my life easier by having a conversation with me. Although your eyes have told the complete story, for my sake, say some things verbally also.

And the last lines say,

“Gaur farmaiye kuchh pesh-e-nazar hai apke

halki si muskaan se misra lasani kijiye…

aap aaye hain toh ye aalam munnavar ho gaye

aarz hai Sartaj ki rooh bhi noorani kijiye.”

Look carefully as I present something to you, please make my poetry priceless with a small smile of appreciation. You have brought brightness to my world but now accept my appeal and illuminate my soul as well.

As profound as his Urdu poetry is, he does not intend to end here. He recently made his film debut in “The Black Prince,” in which he portrays Maharaja Duleep Singh, the final king of Punjab. He portrays the role with conviction and honesty, just like he does in all of his other endeavours. In an interview, he claimed that he accepted the task because “I was destined to play Maharaja Duleep Singh, first because of the astonishing similarity we share in terms of our appearance, and second because of my reverence for his narrative. As I learned more about his life, I became more aware of how much we have in common. Being cast as one of the leading lights in Sikh cultural history” was a great honour.

Sartaj had to overcome a number of obstacles when portraying Duleep Singh, including the more challenging task of retaining the appropriate Victorian British accent for the part. Nevertheless, the singer-turned-actor is extremely happy and optimistic about his debut because it is based on Sikh history and because he is the first Sikh to play the lead part in a Hollywood production.

Well, as viewers and fans, we have our fingers crossed but we certainly believe that Satinder Sartaj will never disappoint us. For he definitely is the ‘crown on the head’ of Punjab and its entertainment industry.

Sartaj has achieved worldwide praise and recognition thanks to his outstanding musical talent. His music crosses national boundaries and connects with listeners from all backgrounds, as seen by his sold-out performances in India and riveting appearances in the USA, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere. In addition to receiving numerous honours and awards, Satinder Sartaj has established himself as a cultural ambassador for Punjab, demonstrating the inherent spirituality, tenacity, and timeless teachings of Sikhism and disseminating the message of love, compassion, and harmony everywhere he goes.