The story of Arjan Vailly, the viral song from Ranbir Kapoor's Animal that got a thumbs-up from Diljit Dosanjh

Arjan Vailly, a name common to Punjabi folklore, has found its way to the spotlight with the release of the song Arjan Vailly from the movie Animal. The song is sung by folk singer Bhupinder Babbal and is featured in the Sandeep Reddy Vanga-directed movie.

Bhupinder Babbal, the Punjabi folk singer from Kurali near Mohali is known for singing the Punjabi folk songs like Mirza Sahiba and Kavishri.

In just 3 days since its release, Arjan Vailly is trending on No 3 on YouTube India. With over 11 million views on YouTube alone and topping the charts on Spotify, the 'Dhadi Vaar'-styled song soon made it to Instagram Reels.

Dhadi Vaar

Back in June 2023, when the pre-teaser dropped, Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh hailed the inclusion of the line 'Arjan Vailly Ne Pair Jod Ke Gandassi Maari'.

(The Dhadi-Vaar music genre could be back to the times of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru. According to Sikh legends, he used to sing them while fighting the Mughals in the 18th century.)

While the historical character of Arjan Vailly is deeply rooted in Punjabi tales akin to the 20th-century rebel hero Jagga Jatt or the Robin Hood-like bandit Jeona Morh, the theme of the song, the character played by Ranbir Singh and the vibe of it seems to have drawn from the peak days of Sikh feudal conquests, wars and battles during the Raj.

The song, through its lyrics, gives a glimpse into the story of Arjan Vailly, portrayed as a vailly or velly (a thuggish, violent individual with little regard for laws) carrying a gandassi (axe), hacking through enemies.

Who was Arjan Vailly though?

• According to the Sikh Encyclopedia, Arjan Singh Nalva or Arjan 'Vailly', hailing from the Malwa region (southern Punjab between Ghagghar and Sutlej rivers), is said to be from the village of Kaunke near Jagroan near present-day Ludhiana, Punjab.
• He is said to have had a jagir (taxation right on a piece of land) during the Sikh Empire and was the youngest among the four sons of the Commander-in-Chief of the Sikh Khalsa Fauj, Hari Singh Nalva.
• Hari Singh Nalva, nicknamed Baghmaari showed ruthless bravery and pushed the frontiers of the Sikh Empire beyond the Indus, up to the Khyber Pass (present-day Afghanistan).
• Arjan, looked after by Kanvar Nau Nihal Singh, the grandson of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, went on to fight for the sovereignty of the Sikh State against the advancing British expansionism.
• In October 1848, as the second Anglo-Sikh war loomed, Arjan aligned himself with the Sikh army in opposition to the British and sought refuge in his fortified house in Gujranwala.
• Although a contingent of troops under Brigadier Campbell surrounded his house, Arjan Singh managed to escape, according to the Sikh Encyclopedia.
• The song serves as a metaphor for Ranbir's character in Animal.

Drawing parallels between the real 'Arjan Vailly' and Ranbir Kapoor's character in Animal also reveals intriguing similarities.

Meaning of it

• The lyrics of Arjan Vailly unfold a gripping narrative of strength, valour and some lawlessness.
• The use of the gandassi as a weapon signifies a forceful impact, with 'pair jod ke' (feet tied together) emphasising the collective strength behind each blow.
• The imagery of bulls (saand) clashing represents the intensity of the fights of those days, and the metaphor of ripping apart with 'phulkari' (the Sikh scarves/dupatta, worn primarily by women) and 'leer o leer' adds a vivid visual element to substantiate the magnitude of the fight.
• The song, visually too, captures the chaos of battle, epitomising the might of 'Arjan Vailly'.
• The mention of Singhs standing together like lions reinforces a certain aura of strength and unity among the brothers-in-arms.
• The blood flowing like overflowing water signifies the brutality of the conflict, while the reference to sher (lion) portrays Arjan's fearless attitude.

The details

• The Arjan Vailly folklore has had various renditions in the past too, with numerous stories and films based on it, including the 1982 film 'Putt Jattan De'.
• The rich Punjabi folklore reflected in the teaser provides a familiarity with the cultural regional nuances.
• So far, the song suggests that Animal might be a fresh take on the old-school folk-agrarian-gandasa genre of Punjabi cinema (the Punjabi spaghetti westerns, if you were to look at it that way), which has seen some purchases in Punjabi audiences on either side of the border in recent times.
• Similarly, Ranbir's character in Animal, along with his gang, appears to embody a similar rebellious spirit and a fierce determination, through the intense fight scenes.

Listen to the song here:

• The film, which is set to hit the theatres on December 1, might also add to the father-son relationship, adding depth to the narrative, in line with the historical context of Arjan Singh Nalva and Hari Singh Nalva.
• As Anil Kapoor portrays the role of Ranbir's father in the film, the dynamics between the characters might mirror the historical tensions and alliances.

Till then, while vibing to the song, let's be hopeful that the film would carry more such details, symbolism and references.