One foggy morning in January 2022, Vicky Kaushal played Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s Saanso Ki Maala on his car speakers and in no time, the song found relevance among the GenZ. Same happened when he vibed to veteran singers Surinder Kaur and Ramesh Rangila peppy number Mitran Da Chalia Truck Ni.
“Vicky Kaushal vibing to Punjabi songs” is now a genre in its own right. The chokehold that the Uri actor has on Spotify charts and Instagram reels is so tight that it takes one video of him grooving to a track for it to go insanely viral and get the recognition which it wouldn't have otherwise. Social media this week was ‘obsessed’ with Kaushal’s dance moves but more so with Riar Saab and Abhijay Sharma’s song which is currently at number 2 on Top 50 Hits from India on Spotify. The actor was seen dancing to the number in an all-black attire.
The song was overplayed (and arguably overused) on videos across social media platforms, so much so that reels critiquing the song’s domination proliferated Instagram feeds in just a week. Riar Saab, the composer of the track, which has clocked in over 14 million views on YouTube, said in an interview that the song wouldn’t have received the recognition it did if it wasn’t for Kaushal’s viral dance.
Real hype, no shoutouts for clout
That Kaushal is a heartthrob adored for his chocolate boy looks and charisma is no secret. He isn’t shy of embracing his Punjabi roots either. Though Kaushal was born in Mumbai, his family hails from Hoshiarpur and speaking fluent Punjabi comes naturally to him. The actor started sharing videos of himself on Instagram during lockdown where he would do mundane activities like eating peanut butter in the kitchen or sunbathing in a car as he lip-synced to peppy Punjabi numbers. While some of the songs already enjoyed mainstream success, Kaushal’s impeccable taste in music helped spotlight lesser-known Punjabi artistes who otherwise would have flown under the radar.
The best part was that the usage of songs did not come across as superficial as a creator giving a shout out to a brand and certainly not as heavy-handed a all-out paid promotion. Instead, the lip-sync was more a celebration of the song and its composition in a way that felt natural and came from a place of authenticity. In one of many such videos, Kaushal looks in the camera and raps a verse by HRJXT from the song Angels and you know he is doing it out of genuine appreciation for the song.
Making a certified banger
Unsurprisingly, the top YouTube comments on the music videos of these numbers read “Came here after Vicky Kaushal’s reel on this song” or some other variation of the statement. Though it wasn’t until 2021 that the world got to see Kaushal could dance up a storm — not with meticulously timed steps like a Hrithik Roshan or Shahid Kapoor but with a fervour so infectious that it would make anyone tap their feet. Kaushal had already wowed us with his tip-toeing skills in the music video for song Dhyaanchand from Anurag Kashyap’s 2019 film Manmarziyaan, where he plays a Punjabi DJ named Vicky Sandhu — complete with a whacky haircut and over-the-top attire. So in 2022, when Kaushal’s video of dancing to a remixed version of Bally Sagoo and Malkit Singh’s Jugni at the Blenders Pride fashion week surfaced, India knew that the Punjabi munda could strut his stuff and how. Then, a reel of him working out to Ammy Virk’s Heart Attack cemented this image.
But it was not just the lesser-known hidden gems that got their moment in the sun. Kaushal’s grip on Punjabi pulse was so strong that it could make a song that is generally well-received skyrocket to chartbusting success. Simiran Kaur Dhadli’s Barood Wargi and Harrdy Sandhu’s Bijlee Bijlee were already adored and quite popular among the listeners when they were released. When Kaushal introduced his pan-India Instagram audience to these bangers, they shot to mainstream success. His reel dancing to Bijlee Bijlee during a photoshoot helped propel the party anthem to the top spot on Spotify chart where it stayed for several weeks maintaining its winning streak.
Helping GenZ discover classics
The Raazi actor can influence the popularity of recent songs but also heavily tip the scales in favour of old songs by music maestros that the younger lot might not be familiar with. One foggy morning in January 2022, Kaushal played Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s Saanso Ki Maala during his car ride and in no time, the qawwali found relevance among the GenZ. Same happened when he vibed to veteran singers Surinder Kaur and Ramesh Rangila peppy number Mitran Da Chalia Truck whose quirky lyrics were lip synced by many content creators. And this, in no way, is an exhaustive list of all the Punjabi numbers Kaushal has unintentionally helped go viral.
A connoisseur of Punjabi heritage and a fine actor in his own right, Kaushal has carved a niche for himself on social media by embracing his cultural roots. His impact on music remains unprecedented as is obvious from Obsessed singer Riar Saab’s comment when Obsessed achieved success: “Obsessed is the biggest example of how social media has democratised music. Anyone can blow up with a song that they made in their home studio. People have even discovered and loved my other songs, thanks to Vicky Kaushal’s reel. It is surreal.”
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