"Why did nobody question it before its release?"
Diljit Dosanjh is facing significant backlash over a lyric in his song ‘Aroma’ that listeners say uses a derogatory slur against transgender people.
The controversy gained considerable momentum on June 1, 2026, the very first day of Pride Month, making the timing particularly charged and resonant.
‘Aroma’ is a collaboration between Diljit, Raj Ranjodh and music producer Tru-Skool that was originally released on April 23, 2026.
The verse at the centre of the debate reads: “Oh mardaan di gall hundi yakkyaan di nai… Jurrataan di talk hundi chakkyaan di nai.”
Translations shared by listeners on social media suggest the lines roughly mean:
“This is the talk of men, not weaklings. This is the talk of courage, not of queers.”
Critics argue the lyric uses a term widely regarded as deeply derogatory while appearing to equate masculinity with courage and belittle gender-nonconforming identities.
Many listeners revealed that they had been enjoying the track for weeks without fully understanding the meaning embedded in the Punjabi verse.
It was only after translations began circulating widely online that the problematic nature of the lyric became apparent to a broader audience.
Actor Manish Poonam was among those from the entertainment industry who spoke out directly and sharply against the song’s content.
In an Instagram Story, he wrote: “Courage and men don’t go along with each other. Hoping this move would make you more of a man. Shame.”
His words captured the frustration felt by many in the queer community and their allies who felt let down by an artist of Diljit’s stature.
One Instagram user raised pointed questions about how the lyric made it through the entire production and release process without anyone flagging it.
“He is working in the entertainment industry, which is built, shaped and sustained by countless queer people.
“I am so confused, why did nobody question it before its release?
“Did no one stop to think about the message it sends? And I hope there is an explanation to this.”
An X user expressed a more personal sense of betrayal upon discovering what the lyric appeared to mean on closer reading.
“Bruh Diljit Dosanjh straight up used a transphobic slur with no filter in his latest song.
“I Can’t Do This Anymore. I thought he was a good person.”
The comments section on YouTube was also filled with reactions from users who felt the lyric sent a harmful and retrograde message to a large audience.
One commenter wrote: “Amazing, like in a country where people are just fighting to get their mere share of equality, their huge figures like this use words casually without thinking about anyone’s sentiments.
“We are evolving day by day. Happy Pride Month.”
Many users stressed that the reach of a major artist makes the casual use of such language far more damaging than it might appear on the surface.
Diljit Dosanjh has not issued any public statement or response addressing the growing controversy surrounding the song.
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