Punjabi singer Talwiinder Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Talwiinder, has been in the headlines lately for her alleged relationship with the actor Disha Patani. While the rumored couple recently sparked buzz after attending Nupur Sanon and Steben Bein’s wedding together, Talwiinder has long been the subject of intrigue for a very different reason: her distinctive stage persona marked by face paint and masks. Beyond his music, the mask has become one of Talwiinder’s most recognizable trademarks and has been an essential part of his identity as a performer. Now, the singer finally opened up about the inspiration behind the mask and why he chose to perform behind a look.
Mr India, Shaktiman inspiration behind Talwiinder’s mask
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Talwiinder spoke about the origins of his masked character and the psychology behind it. Explaining what inspired the concept, he said: “The mask is discreet and inspired by Shaktiman, Mr India, Superman, Joker because you can’t do crazy things when you know your neighbors are watching, your closed selves are watching, so you need an alias.”
He went on to add that cultural perceptions also influenced his choice. “For me, I didn’t want to be one of those artists who gets labeled ‘besharam’. I thought it was better to play it safe because I’m very proud of my music.”
Talwiinder also spoke about how his life experiences and exposure to different cultures shaped the aesthetic behind the mask. “I knew I wanted to change things. The history of California, its connection to Mexico, the fact that Halloween is everywhere, everything played a role. When it came time to choose the mask, I knew it had to be a skull because it’s universal. I wanted people to think, every time they saw a skull, ‘Talwiinder ke gaane nahi sune yaar kaafi dino se.'”
‘My mask is a psychological tool’
For the singer, the mask goes far beyond aesthetics. It is a psychological tool, both for him and his audience. “I love the psychology behind things. I feel like it should be more fun and if you have people’s attention, you should play with it a little bit, give them something new, not repeat what everyone else is doing. Surprise them a little, expand their thinking, that’s always been my approach.”
READ ALSO: Talwiinder opens up about dating Disha Patani, says ‘the attention took us by surprise’
For the artist Talwiinder, the mask will stay
With videos of his unmasked face now circulating online, Talwiinder acknowledged that the mystery has faded for many fans, but insisted it hasn’t changed his purpose. “Yes, people can know what I look like now, and honestly, I don’t care. To those who love my music, I just want to say that this doesn’t affect me or change anything. I just want to make music, and the music itself will give you all the answers.”
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The singer was equally adamant about why the mask remains an essential part of his live performances. “If you come to see me sing, you’re going to have to deal with the mask. The other guy, the real me, just wants to live a normal life and pay his bills. This appearance exists to satisfy the world and handle all the noise and chaos. So yes, the mask will remain.”
Fans have long speculated about a planned face reveal, and Talwiinder confirmed that idea was once in the works. However, things did not go as expected, after the viral spread of his unmasked video. “I was working on something we’d like to reveal in the future, but it was taken away from me. We’ll see.”
‘Talwinder doesn’t show his face like that…’
During the same conversation, he directly addressed the viral clip, clarifying that the secret was never about playing with the audience. “It was never about, ‘I’m never going to show my face,’ I’m not playing hide-and-seek with the world. It was just like, ‘Leave me alone, just focus on what I’m giving you.’ That’s public property, this isn’t. So when that video came out, I saw it and it spread like wildfire.”
The incident affected him deeply. “You literally killed someone’s little goal, the little thing they were working on. A little psychological trick with the audience. So for me, I felt really heartbroken,” he said.
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However, his perspective changed soon after. “But, the next day, I saw an AI video as a voiceover, which said that this artist Talwiinder doesn’t show his face so that his music is the main focus. And that’s when I realized that now I have people’s attention on music. So I don’t have to be so uneasy about not showing my face. I realized it at the time. It’s not so taboo anymore. Even if they see my face, they see it, but they just don’t bother. “When I’m not in face painting, Leave me alone,” he concluded.
Since launching his music career in 2018, Talwiinder has steadily built a loyal fan base across digital platforms. His discography includes popular songs like Pal Pal, Gaah, Dhundhala, Khayaal, Nasha, Wishes, a collaboration with Pakistani artist Hasan Raheem, Tu and Funk Song.