Surjit Bindrakhia
Encyclopedia
Surjit Bindrakhia 15 April 1962 – 17 November 2003 was a Punjabi
Bhangra singer. He was known for his hekh, in which he sings a note continuously in one breath. His hits include Dupatta Tera Satrang Da, Bas Kar Bas Kar, Tera Yaar Bolda, and Jatt Di Pasand. Surjit is considered to have one of the greatest voices in the history of Bhangra. He received a special jury award at the 2004 Filmfare Awards
for his contribution to Punjabi music.
in Punjab. His father was a famous village wrestler, who brought the village to prominence. Surjit was influenced by his father to take up wrestling and kabaddi
. He won intercollege bouts at the university level. Although, his father always wanted Surjit to be a wrestler, he always wanted to be a singer. He began his singing career by singing boliyan for his college bhangra team. He received formal teaching from his guru, Atul Sharma. Bindrakhia appeared in films, before he was a major figure in the music industry. He was extra in movies, appearing in the background of several scenes. It wasn't until lyricist Shamsher Sandhu recognized his talent that Surjit had an opportunity in the music industry. All of his hit songs were written by Shamsher Sandhu and music was produced by Atul Sharma. He married Preet Kamal. The couple had two children, his son, Gitaz, and daughter, Minaz.
for many years, but his big break in the expatriate market came with Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da 1995, a track that was his best known. Since many remixes in 1990's were made of his older songs and a new releases. Surjit Bindrakhia is credited as being the first international superstar in bhangra music. His song Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da holds the record for being the number one Punjabi song on UK charts
for weeks.
Immensely popular in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s at the rural lengend belt of Punjab, Bindrakhia’s voice was considered to be one of the most powerful voices among traditional singers like in Punjab. He had cut 32 solo audio cassettes during his decade-long tour career. Surjit had been known in the Punjab for many years before, but his big break in the expatriate market came with Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da 1995 a track that can only be called explosive. Since then there had been various remixes in the 1990s of his older songs and some blockbuster new releases, including ‘Tu Ni Boldi’ and ‘Jatt Di Pasand’ Bindrakhia was a traditional bhangra singer, and since most of his work had been produced in India, it may at first have appeared unpolished. Certainly the music is more “rustic” than that found on many bhangra bands from the UK, but that did not reduce its impact. There are more sustained dhol beats in Bindrakhia’s work than you would find elsewhere and the style is traditional.
A note must be made of the high tone Bindrakhia sometimes uses, which sounded like a screech. You can find others trying such vocal pryotechnics, but few can pull it off as Bindrakhia did. His singing style worked with the beat, so you would find him pausing along with the dhol and raising and shifting into different keys as the dhol
does. All of this gave Bindrakhia the air of a child gone a little mad with his voice. Stated to be one of the most popular singers in Punjab, Surjit Bindrakhia was considered to be the vital link between traditional Punjabi folk music and modern Punjabi
pop
.
In 2011 DJ Harvey and Nirmal Sidhu made a tribute song to Surjit Bindrakhia called Bindrakhia Boliyan, it has been a huge success since its release being ranked at Number 1 on the BBC Asian Network Chart on the first week of release.
on the Morning of November 17, 2003 at his home in Haripur, Mohali.
Many singers and artists attended his bhog and funeral at Bindrakhia's native village Bindrakh. Some of the artists who turned up to pay their last respects to the legend included Hans Raj Hans
, Gurpreet Ghuggi
, Babbu Mann, his lyricist and a close friend Shamsher Singh Sandhu
and his guru and music composer Atul Sharma, and the legendary Gurdas Maan
. Bindrakia stormed the market with over 250 million hit sales of which 175 million came from India alone. He later combined with greats such as Surinder Shinda
doing live sets.
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
Bhangra singer. He was known for his hekh, in which he sings a note continuously in one breath. His hits include Dupatta Tera Satrang Da, Bas Kar Bas Kar, Tera Yaar Bolda, and Jatt Di Pasand. Surjit is considered to have one of the greatest voices in the history of Bhangra. He received a special jury award at the 2004 Filmfare Awards
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
for his contribution to Punjabi music.
Early life and family
Surjit was born to his father, Sucha Singh, and his mother, Gurcharan Kaur, in the village of Bindrakh of district RupnagarRupnagar
Rupnagar is a city and a municipal council in Rupnagar district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was formerly known as Ropar. The town of Rupnagar is said to have been founded by a Raja called Rokeshar, who ruled during the 11th century and named it after his son Rup Sen. It is also the site of...
in Punjab. His father was a famous village wrestler, who brought the village to prominence. Surjit was influenced by his father to take up wrestling and kabaddi
Kabaddi
Kabaddi is a South Asian team sport...
. He won intercollege bouts at the university level. Although, his father always wanted Surjit to be a wrestler, he always wanted to be a singer. He began his singing career by singing boliyan for his college bhangra team. He received formal teaching from his guru, Atul Sharma. Bindrakhia appeared in films, before he was a major figure in the music industry. He was extra in movies, appearing in the background of several scenes. It wasn't until lyricist Shamsher Sandhu recognized his talent that Surjit had an opportunity in the music industry. All of his hit songs were written by Shamsher Sandhu and music was produced by Atul Sharma. He married Preet Kamal. The couple had two children, his son, Gitaz, and daughter, Minaz.
Professional life
Surjit Bindrakhia had arguably one of the most powerful voice among Bhangra singers during his time. Throaty, with a wide range of sounds, he was one of the most successful traditional artist doing the rounds of the bhangra scene during his time. Surjit had been known in PunjabPunjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
for many years, but his big break in the expatriate market came with Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da 1995, a track that was his best known. Since many remixes in 1990's were made of his older songs and a new releases. Surjit Bindrakhia is credited as being the first international superstar in bhangra music. His song Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da holds the record for being the number one Punjabi song on UK charts
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
for weeks.
Immensely popular in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s at the rural lengend belt of Punjab, Bindrakhia’s voice was considered to be one of the most powerful voices among traditional singers like in Punjab. He had cut 32 solo audio cassettes during his decade-long tour career. Surjit had been known in the Punjab for many years before, but his big break in the expatriate market came with Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da 1995 a track that can only be called explosive. Since then there had been various remixes in the 1990s of his older songs and some blockbuster new releases, including ‘Tu Ni Boldi’ and ‘Jatt Di Pasand’ Bindrakhia was a traditional bhangra singer, and since most of his work had been produced in India, it may at first have appeared unpolished. Certainly the music is more “rustic” than that found on many bhangra bands from the UK, but that did not reduce its impact. There are more sustained dhol beats in Bindrakhia’s work than you would find elsewhere and the style is traditional.
A note must be made of the high tone Bindrakhia sometimes uses, which sounded like a screech. You can find others trying such vocal pryotechnics, but few can pull it off as Bindrakhia did. His singing style worked with the beat, so you would find him pausing along with the dhol and raising and shifting into different keys as the dhol
Dhol
Dhol can refer to any one of a number of similar types of double-headed drum widely used, with regional variations, throughout the Indian subcontinent and nearby regions. Its range of distribution in India and Pakistan primarily includes northern areas such as the Assam Valley, Bengal, Gujarat,...
does. All of this gave Bindrakhia the air of a child gone a little mad with his voice. Stated to be one of the most popular singers in Punjab, Surjit Bindrakhia was considered to be the vital link between traditional Punjabi folk music and modern Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
.
In 2011 DJ Harvey and Nirmal Sidhu made a tribute song to Surjit Bindrakhia called Bindrakhia Boliyan, it has been a huge success since its release being ranked at Number 1 on the BBC Asian Network Chart on the first week of release.
Death
Bindrakhia died of a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on the Morning of November 17, 2003 at his home in Haripur, Mohali.
Many singers and artists attended his bhog and funeral at Bindrakhia's native village Bindrakh. Some of the artists who turned up to pay their last respects to the legend included Hans Raj Hans
Hans Raj Hans
Hans Raj Hans is an Indian Punjabi language singer.Early lifeHans was born in Shafipur, a village near Jalandhar, Punjab, India. He is the second son of Late Sardar Arjan Singh Ji and Mata Ajit Kaur Ji . Hans had no musical history in his family, yet he began singing at a young age. Hans...
, Gurpreet Ghuggi
Gurpreet Ghuggi
Gurpreet Ghuggi is an Indian comedian born in the village of Khokhar Fojian in District Gurdaspur, Punjab, India. Currently, he resides in Jalandhar, Punjab.-Family:...
, Babbu Mann, his lyricist and a close friend Shamsher Singh Sandhu
Shamsher Singh Sandhu
Shamsher Singh Sandhu is a well known Punjabi lyricist. He is best known for his songs penned down for Surjit Bindrakhia,though he has written songs for many other Punjabi artists including Hans Raj Hans, Sarabjit Cheema, Satwinder Bitti and Gurdas Mann among others.His most popular songs include...
and his guru and music composer Atul Sharma, and the legendary Gurdas Maan
Gurdas Maan
Gurdas Maan is an Indian singer, songwriter, choreographer, and actor. He is considered one of the most notable figures in the world of Punjabi music. He was born on 4 January 1957 in Giddarbaha, Muktsar, Punjab, India...
. Bindrakia stormed the market with over 250 million hit sales of which 175 million came from India alone. He later combined with greats such as Surinder Shinda
Surinder Shinda
Surinder Shinda is an Indian singer of bhangra music with traditional Punjabi roots, who is considered a "grandfather of modern Punjabi music", and has been described as "legendary". He has had numerous hit songs including Putt Jattan De, Truck Billiya, Balbiro Bhabhi, Kaher Singh Di Mout and...
doing live sets.
Discography
| Release | Album | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Ishque Di Agg | -Series] |
| 2003 | Ghabru Gulab Varga | T-Series |
| 2002 | Billiaan Akhiyaan | T-Series |
| 2002 | Munda Ki Mangda | T-Series |
| 2002 | Dilaan Diyaan Choriyaan | T-Series |
| 2001 | Phul Kadhda Phulkari | T-Series |
| 2000 | Aakhiyan De Vanj Bure | |
| 2000 | Lakk Tunoo Tunoo | T-Series |
| 2000 | Ladla Deor | T-Series |
| 2000 | Mundri Nishani | Music Waves Music Waves Music Waves Productions Ltd. was established in 1992, it produces television programs and music geared towards South Asian Canadian viewers.... |
| 2000 | Dil Nachda | Tips |
| 2000 | Addi Utte Ghum | Catrack |
| 1999 | Rumaal Bhul Gayee | T-Series |
| 1998 | Mukhda Dekh Ke | T-Series |
| 1998 | Tera Vikda Jai Kure Pani | T-Series |
| 1998 | Valeiti Masti | Tips |
| 1998 | Wang Wargi Kuri | T-Series |
| 1997 | Nare Nee Mutiare | Music Waves Music Waves Music Waves Productions Ltd. was established in 1992, it produces television programs and music geared towards South Asian Canadian viewers.... |
| 1997 | Phullan Wangoo Hasdiye | |
| 1997 | Sohni Naar | T-Series |
| 1996 | Dil Watte Dil Mangda | T-Series |
| 1996 | Labh Kiton Bhabiye | T-Series |
| 1996 | Tauba Tauba Hussan | |
| 1995 | Hai Darhuka | |
| 1994 | Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da | Finetone/MovieBox |
| 1992 | Bas Kar Bas Kar | Finetone |
| 1991 | Munde Aakhde Pataka | AMC |
Posthumous Albums
| Release | Album | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Jithe Marji Ja | T-Series |
| 2005 | Pyar Kar Lai | Music Waves Music Waves Music Waves Productions Ltd. was established in 1992, it produces television programs and music geared towards South Asian Canadian viewers.... |
| 2004 | Galti Malti Maaf Kar Deo | T-Series |
| 2003 | Main Kal Takk Nahin Rehna (Tribute to Bindrakhia) | T-Series |
Unofficial Albums
| Release | Album | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Forever Surjit Bindrakhia | Music Waves Music Waves Music Waves Productions Ltd. was established in 1992, it produces television programs and music geared towards South Asian Canadian viewers.... |
| 2002 | Bindrakhia Blast | Catrack |
| 2001 | Cheez Kamaal Di (Remixes) | T-Series |
| 2000 | Wang Hogi Tang (Remixes) | |
| 2000 | 100% Bindrakhia (Remixes) | AMC |
| 2000 | Best of Bindrakhia Vol. 1 | |
| 1998 | Bindrakhia Power Point | |
| 1994 | Strictly Bindrakhia | |
Religious
| Release | Album | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Bhai Sangat Singh Ji | Star Makers |
| 2002 | Singho Sewadar Bano | T-Series |
| 2001 | Janam Dihara Khalsa Da | T-Series |
Filmography
| Release | Film | Song | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Rab Dian Rakhan | ||
| 1996 | Zorawar | Ve Kehre Tere Amb Torh Laye with Parmjit Sandhu | Catrack |
| 1996 | Ishq Nachavye Gali Gali | ||
| 1994 | Kachehri Kachehri Kachehari is a Punjabi movie starring Rama Vij, Gurdas Mann, Yograj Singh and Vijay Tandon, released in 1994. The movie was about a woman's tryst with the Indian judicial system.... |
Dera Jatt Da with Dilshad Akhtar | T-Series |
| 1991 | Jatt Jeona Mour | ||
| 1991 | Badla Jatti Da Badla Jatti Da Badla Jatti Da is a 1991 Punjabi action movie directed by Ravinder Ravi. This movie stars Gugu Gill and Yograj Singh in lead roles. The villain role played by Yograj Singh is considered one of his best... |
Boliyan with Surinder Shinda Surinder Shinda Surinder Shinda is an Indian singer of bhangra music with traditional Punjabi roots, who is considered a "grandfather of modern Punjabi music", and has been described as "legendary". He has had numerous hit songs including Putt Jattan De, Truck Billiya, Balbiro Bhabhi, Kaher Singh Di Mout and... |
|
| 1990 | Anakh Jattan Dee |