Daler Mehndi (born 18 August 1967) is an Indian singer, songwriter and record producer who made Bhangra pop popular across India and abroad in the 1990s. His debut album, Bolo Ta Ra Ra (1995), sold in huge numbers, and “Tunak Tunak Tun” (1998) later became an internet phenomenon around the world. Known for his powerful voice, his bright turbans and robes and his energetic stage shows, he has also sung hit songs for Hindi and South Indian films.
Quick Facts
| Birth name | Daler Singh |
| Born | 18 August 1967, Patna, Bihar, India |
| Age | 59 |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, record producer |
| Genres | Bhangra, Indi-pop, playback |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Sibling | Mika Singh (singer) |
| Spouse | Taranpreet Kaur |
| Children | Including the singer Gurdeep Mehndi |
| Known for | “Bolo Ta Ra Ra”, “Tunak Tunak Tun”, “Na Na Na Na Na Re” |
Early Life
Daler was born into a Sikh family of musicians in Patna. His parents taught him ragas and the hymns of the Guru Granth Sahib from early childhood. At 11 he left home to learn from Ustad Rahat Ali Khan of the Patiala gharana in Gorakhpur, and he gave his first stage performance at 13. As a young man he spent some years in San Francisco, where he drove a taxi, before returning to India in 1991 and forming a band in Delhi.
Career
His first album, Bolo Ta Ra Ra (1995), released by Magnasound, sold around 20 million copies and made him a star overnight. Dardi Rab Rab (1996) and Ho Jayegi Balle Balle (1997) followed. He sang “Na Na Na Na Na Re” for Amitabh Bachchan‘s Mrityudaata (1997).
Critics said his videos were popular only because of the models dancing in them. In reply he made “Tunak Tunak Tun” with no one but himself: four Daler Mehndis in different coloured robes, created with green-screen effects, then new to Indian music videos. The song was a hit in India and, years later, spread across the internet as a meme and was used as a dance in the video game World of Warcraft.
Mehndi has sung many film hits, including “Rang De Basanti” (2006), “Zor Ka Jhatka” (2010), the title song of Dangal (2016) for Aamir Khan and “Jiyo Re Baahubali” in Baahubali 2 (2017), starring Prabhas. He runs his own record label and has supported tree-planting and river-cleaning drives in Delhi.
Legal Case
In 2003 Mehndi and his late brother Shamsher were accused of taking money to take people abroad illegally as members of their dance troupes in the late 1990s. In March 2018 a court in Patiala convicted him and sentenced him to two years in prison. The conviction was upheld on appeal in July 2022 and he was jailed; in September 2022 the Punjab and Haryana High Court suspended the sentence and he was released.
Personal Life
Mehndi lives in Delhi. His younger brother Mika Singh is also a well-known singer. His son Gurdeep Mehndi is a singer and actor.
Popular Songs
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Daler Mehndi born?
Daler Mehndi was born on 18 August 1967 in Patna, Bihar, India and is 59 years old.
What is Daler Mehndi known for?
Known for: “Bolo Ta Ra Ra”, “Tunak Tunak Tun”, “Na Na Na Na Na Re”.
Featured image: Daler Mehndi performs at You Fest, Madrid, Spain, 2015. Photo by Phronesisindia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
