All gates at JLN Stadium seemed to lead to Gate 14 as approximately 80,000 people turned up to hear Diljit Dosanjh perform in Delhi. It was a shutdown, in a good way. Fans took the metro and reached the venue early, especially after Diljit announced on social media that he would start around 7.30pm and wrap up by 10pm. And he stuck to his word.Dressed in their comfortable best to tackle the rain, fans made their way to the stadium. There were also children dressed in some of Diljit’s most recognisable looks, from his Met Gala appearance to his appearance on Jimmy Fallon. It was a night that had Delhiites dancing, cheering and celebrating, marking the opening of his tour in the country.“Dilliwalon, ki haal hai? Thank you so much. This is our first show. Indra dev bhi sadde naal hai. Dilli toh twanu pata hai, Punjabiyon ne shuru ton fateh kiti hai. Bahut saari problems aayiyan, but mujhe tha ki shuru toh Delhi se hi karenge. You are very special to me. Chahe stage slippery hai, par poora enjoy karenge,” he said as he began his performance.And there was little time to settle in. Raat Di Gedi, Patiala Peg, Naina and Hass Hass got the evening going, with fans singing and dancing along. His fans had also requested him to perform Sanson Ki Mala, and much to their delight, he kept his promise.He also spoke about the challenges faced in organising the show. “Bahut roka lokaan ne, shows ki problems thi, I don’t want to say it. Saanu rokeya gaya, par Punjabi kitthe rukne wale hain,” he told the audience.‘Main sab nu pyaar kardan because I am an artist, bro’Diljit’s humour and jibes were also a big part of the evening. Referring to his playlist released recently, I Am an Artist, Bro, he reminded the audience that he loves everyone because he is ‘an artist, bro’.“Main sab nu pyaar kardan because I am an artist, bro! Mujhse pange na lo. Jab tak main chup baitha hoon, mujhe chup rehn do. Main saareya nu support kardan. Naal Punjabiyon nu na sikhao ladai kiven ladni. Punjabiyon nu na sikhao. Jedi film da tussi stage te mazaak banaya (referring to Abhijeet Dipke’s video from the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar), Jaswant Singh Khalra te film da tussi mazaak bana rahe ho. Assi badi der ton ladai ladi hai uss film toh. I love you all,” he said.The evening came to a close with a laser display and Main Hoon Punjab with a message to his haters. Before wrapping up, Diljit spoke about bringing the India tour to Delhi first and said, “I am in India till December 20. Baaki shows bhi laa ke jawange. Jede mai de laal Jackson ich dum hai, rok ke dikhao. Main Hoon Punjab,” He said and continued singing the track.‘Delhi Police ke liye taaliyan, aaj inhone safety ke naal show karne ditta’While he spoke about how difficult it had been to organise the show, Diljit thanked Delhi Police for their support.“Delhi Police ke liye taaliyan. Inhone bahut achha arrangement kiya. Aaj inhone safety ke naal show karne ditta,” he said.Another moment that stood out was his interaction with a female CRPF jawan, whom he invited on stage. He told her that she reminded him of his mother.“We can’t feel safe if you are not present. Aap mein mujhe meri mom dikh rahi hain, tabhi aapko bulaya. Main saal mein 1-2 baar hi mil paata hoon. Aapko dekha toh laga meri mom khadi hain. Aaj meri mummy ka phone aa gaya tha ki apna dhyan rakhio. Maine bola, don’t worry. Aaj mujhe laga meri mummy khadi hain yahan,” he said.‘Bada important tha Delhi ka show hona’After the show, he went live on social media to thank fans for making the concert a success. He also spoke about the difficulties he faced while organising shows in India. “Thank you so much. Saanu problems si, too many problems. Saari duniya mein shows kar aavan, uthe problems nahi aandi. Jaise hi India shows start hote hain, waise hi mere liye problems start ho jaati hain. I don’t know why.”“Bada important tha Delhi ka show hona kyunki bahut logon ka zor laga ki show na ho. Hum toh kar diye hain,” he added while dancing on his live.
