Exclusive - Guneet Monga and Achin Jain on producing Yo Yo Honey Singh Famous documentary: 'We didn't want to make a puff piece'

Guneet Monga, Achin Jain

Yo Yo Honey Singh, the name is synonymous with chart-topping hits and electrifying performances. But behind the glitz and glamour lies a complex and troubled individual.

Producers Guneet Monga and Achin Jain, the masterminds behind Sikhya Entertainment, joined forces with Netflix to bring forth a documentary that delved into the life of Honey Singh. Titled Yo Yo Honey Singh Famous, it explores the Lungi Dance singer's struggles with mental health, fame, and identity.

In an exclusive interview with Money Control, Guneet and Achin revealed to us what drew them to produce the documentary on Honey Singh.

"He is the most colorful person I know in India, and the fact that he was ready to bare it all and talk. When Netflix reached out, I don't think there was a better director than Mozez. We had done a musical film with him, a Punjabi music-based film called Zubaan. That was Vicky's (Vicky Kaushal) first film. Honey is one of the most controversial epic icons. While everybody likes dancing to his music, people also love taking a dig at it. So he's very, very controversial and epic and defines a generation. He brought Punjabi music into the scene. And, at the peak of his career, imagine somebody doing 'Blue Eyes,' 'Lungi Dance,' and many more in the same year and then disappearing from the scene. And then coming back with so much weight put on, and you see his pictures, like, completely at the top of the career. And then you just want to know what happened, where it was, what exactly," Guneet exclaimed. "The fact that he was ready to bare it all and talk made it an exciting project."

Guneet said they wanted to go beyond what was being reported in the media about Honey Singh and the reasons why he left the industry when he was at his peak.

"There were so many clickbait stories—'Isne thappad mar diya, ye ho gaya, woh ho gaya. You know, one controversy to another, and the news channels further blasting it. So it's sad. You know? And then it's one thing to be famous, and then the price of one fame. Not always as ideal. So this was time to just sit back and reflect because I think everybody in this generation, everyone wants to be famous. What is his mental health? We didn't know how this documentary would pan out. Deep dive into his, and the way he types it in such simple and his vulnerability to be out there. And everybody relates to him," she added.

Honey Singh: Controversial epic icon

Her co-producer Achin added, "Honey Singh is a controversial and epic icon. He defines a generation. We wanted to explore what happened to him, what led to his disappearance from the scene, and how he's coping with his mental health."

The documentary, directed by Moses Singh, is a raw and unfiltered look at Honey Singh's life.

Guneet emphasized, "We never wanted to make a puff piece. We asked him all the tough questions, and Moses did a fantastic job with it." Achin chimed in, "We're dealing with someone who has been through years of mental health struggles. The idea was to create a space where he felt comfortable opening up."

When asked if Honey Singh had any reservations or apprehensions, Achin replied, "He was open and transparent. It was our responsibility to follow him, giving him the confidence to share his story while maintaining our filmmaker's hat and not taking any sides."

Guneet and Achin's production company, Sikhya Entertainment, has been at the forefront of innovative storytelling.

Also Read: Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous Review: Netflix docuseries exploring rapper’s mental health journey will leave you feeling conflicted

Their documentary, "Period. End of Sentence.," won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject in 2019 and The Elephant Whisperers won Academy Award for Best Documentary Short in 2023.

When asked about their experience with documentaries, Guneet said, "Documentaries are so interesting because they're real people, real conversations. We'd love to continue making documentaries as and when we can, and we find the right subject."

Achin added, "Follow-up docs are the hardest because you don't know where you're heading. The director and editor spend a long time on it. It's challenging, but we love it because they're real."

The documentary promises to be a riveting look at the life of Honey Singh, exploring themes of mental health, fame, and identity. As Guneet aptly put it, "Everybody in this generation wants to be famous, but what is the price of fame? This documentary is a reflection of that."

Yo Yo Honey Singh's documentary titled Yo Yo Honey Singh Famous, directed by Mozez Singh, released on Netflix recently, and it has been getting rave reviews.