Divvya Chouksey debut in Punjabi music

Though

Divvya

hails from

Bhopal

, she says her four year stay in Delhi was instrumental in her infatuation with

Punjabi

, besides being "compelled" to give a befitting reprisal to the "misogynist lyrics of Yo Yo Honey Singh." Excerpts from a conversation with the actor, singer who was in Chandigarh to perform at a food fest.
You have been an actor. How did you foray into the Punjabi music industry?
I wasn't planning on being a singer, honestly. Let's just say, music happened to me. I had this idea of answering Yo Yo Honey Singh when he sang songs like Chako chako chako, kuch fresh nai milna and Ban ke reh gye tu nashe di dukan. Badshah is a nice man, he does good songs, and has sweet chedh chadh in his lyrics. So, I wanted to give a cute reply to Badshah, because he is cutie. But for Honey, I feel he has offended women and blames them for everything. Why just him, there is a whole society out there that blames women for every wrong happening to them, right from saying women invite trouble by wearing chotey, chotey kapdey, to galat time pe ghr se bahar kyu nikalti hain. So, to this orthodox soch, I made a song that says- choti hai meri dress, but teri soch se hai badi. However, I wanted to do that in a fun way, not a heavy, serious tone.
So, you decided to sing to get back at Honey?
It's basically ek teer se do nishaney. Even Akon makes these kinds of songs degrading women. Besides, I had learnt sitar as a child, so I had the music ka keeda in me always.
The song defends women. Is that why you launched it on International Women's Day?
Yes. It is about women empowerment. Actually, the song started with a story, of which was the

Censor Board

cut 47 seconds in the beginning since it had to do with sex education. And then it shows this class teacher reprimanding a girl student for inviting eve-teasing by wearing a short skirt. Basically, we put it in our girls' minds from childhood that if you wear those kind of clothes, you will invite harassment.
You hail from Bhopal, lived in Mumbai. And now are singing in Punjabi…
Well, meinu Punjabi bahut changi lagdi hai. I stayed in Delhi for four years. Agar dili vich reh ke Punjabi nai sikhi, te ki kitta? I have a lot of Punjabi friends and agar Honey ko jawab dena tha, toh Sanskrit mein toh de nahi sakti thi.
The Punjabi music industry is heavily male dominated. You think that's a good thing for female singers since there is still less competition?
That's true that Punjabi music industry is dominated with men and there are hardly female singers. Yes, it does mean there is lesser competition, but I think we badly need good and more Punjabi rappers. There was a time when Hard Kaur was trending, but where is she now? And the likes of other Indian rappers Raja Kumari are now living in the US.
Anything on the films front?
I am doing one short film, incidentally on feminism, and also doing a web series. I wouldn't mind Punjabi films. Earlier I used to tell people, before Hindi, I want to do a Punjabi film.

Amit.sood@timesgroup.com