Exclusive | Talwiinder Reacts to Leaked Video: ‘My World Turned Upside Down’

For years, Talwiinder has lived a double life by design. The singer, known for hits like Haseen and Nasha has built a career behind his signature mask, an attempt to maintain the sanctity of his craft, and protect his identity. However, that carefully guarded privacy was recently violated. Recently, a leaked video from Nupur Sanon and Stebin Ben’s wedding, showing Talwiinder unmasked, went viral, risking the very persona he has spent nearly a decade building.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, India, he didn’t hide his disappointment. "I woke up to the video, I saw my face everywhere," he says. "I was not in the right state of mind when I saw it, I felt like [my face] was snatched away from me. My world turned upside down." The leak resulted in an onslaught of comments, shares, and posts, with his face spreading across the Internet like wildfire. "You're seeing people making content on it," he adds. To the person responsible, his message is blunt: "For the person who gave the video to the media, for, what, for ₹5,000, ₹10,000, ₹20,000, ₹50,000? You literally just killed someone’s dream."

Talwiinder maintains that his music is “made for the ears, not the eyes,” and he does not wish to detract from his audience’s experience. “I’m making music for people to feel,” he says. “Sometimes the visual can distract the audience from getting the message.” To him, the mask is a meticulously devised facet of his persona, one that spares him the constant pressure of "always looking fly" or being identified in public. It allows him the privilege of choosing when to face the world, and when to simply exist.

However, it is clear that Talwiinder isn't interested in playing the victim or rejecting the spotlight. He is acutely aware of his privilege, despite this breach. “What kind of artist complains about getting this much attention?” he asks, expressing a deep gratitude for the platform he has built. Addressing a media cycle that “hasn’t been kind”, he says he's finally made his peace with it all. "Sab ko apna ghar chalana hai (Everyone has to run their house)," he laughs. "It’s okay if I’m getting used in the process. As long as somebody’s getting views, they’re happy, I’m happy,” he says.

The artist is confident that those who follow him for his music are here to stay, despite the noise. “There’s so much love, I don’t even focus on the hate,” he smiles.