It remains unclear why the singer’s family objected to the screening of the documentary.
BBC World Service Releases Documentary on Sidhu Moosewala’s Murder Despite Legal Challenge
On June 11, BBC World Service released two episodes of a documentary titled ‘The Killing Call’, focusing on the murder of the late popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.
The documentary was released despite Moosewala’s father filing a petition in a Mansa court seeking a stay on its screening. The court is scheduled to hear the petition on June 12.
The episodes were released just hours before three new songs were launched on Moosewala’s official YouTube channel on the same day, June 11.
In the documentary, BBC Eye Investigations includes an interview with a gangster who claims to have ordered Moosewala’s murder.
The first episode focuses on Moosewala’s early life, his rapid rise to fame—unmatched in Punjab for decades—and the controversies that surrounded him.
The second episode, titled "The Murder That Shook India", delves into the complex history of Punjab and the aftermath of Moosewala’s murder.
In its description, BBC World Service wrote,“On 29 May 2022, Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was murdered by hired hitmen who followed his car, shot him through the windscreen, and left him to die. As news of the killing spread across India and around the world, a gangster named Goldy Brar claimed responsibility for the hit. But three years later, no one has been convicted of this murder, the motives remain murky, and Goldy Brar is still on the run.”
It futher wrote, “BBC Eye Investigations has been talking to some of the people closest to Sidhu Moose Wala, tracing his rise from obscurity to stardom, finding out how he made enemies of India’s most feared gang, and asking why they wanted him dead.”
It adds,“It’s a story that takes us from the villages of rural India to the hip-hop scene of eastern Canada, from the turbulent history of Punjab to the contested politics of modern India, and from the shadowy world of organized crime to a chilling phone call with the fugitive gangster who says he ordered the hit. Based on hours of unseen archive footage and exclusive access to Sidhu’s friends and musical collaborators, the film features voices that have never spoken to the media before.”
BBC had initially planned to screen the documentary at a cinema hall in Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon. However, amid growing controversy, it opted to release the documentary on YouTube instead.
It remains unclear why the singer’s family objected to the screening of the documentary.
