Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that AP Dhillon is a music sensation. Whether it’s Excuses, Spaceship, or Brown Munde, you’ve danced to his music at weddings and in clubs. But while his songs were topping the charts, the man remained a mystery. Until now. In a literal first of its kind, AP Dhillon is telling his story through his documentary series on Amazon Prime Video, AP Dhillon First of a Kind. Directed by Jay Ahmed, the unscripted series follows AP Dhillon, Shinda Kahlon, Gurinder Gill, and Gminxr as they trace Dhillon’s journey from Gurdaspur to Vancouver and the global stage.
What we see as a sudden, meteoric rise is actually years of struggle and working odd jobs while making music in a single room. And that’s what the four-part docu-series tries to highlight. It takes us to his village in Gurdaspur where he grew up with his grandmother and father and what it took for Amrit to leave Gurdaspur and become AP, the singer, songwriter, and producer, in Vancouver.
Before Excuses arrived on almost every playlist in South Asia, AP Dhillon, Shinda Kahlon, Gurinder Gill and Gminxr had already been noticed in Canada. AP Dhillon First of a Kind goes behind the scenes to their studio when superhits like Brown Munde were being recorded and shows AP Dhillon being involved in every aspect of his songs, be it writing or mixing tunes. What makes this docu-series a wholesome watch is that it showcases the entire team behind creating the legend of AP Dhillon, and not just the man himself. And this team includes not just the producers, management team, singers, and songwriters, but also the barber responsible for AP’s trademark look.
AP Dhillon First of a Kind is probably the first representation we’re seeing of an immigrant success story on this scale. The story of AP Dhillon is interspersed with the story of the average Punjabi immigrant in Canada. The team speaks of leaving families behind, sleeping outside hotels, and working in 7-11s and McDonald’s to make ends meet while making music on the side.
The four-part series offers a compelling narrative and draws you into the anxiety of their firsts–the first India tour, the first show in a massive arena, the first time they had to face internet trolls, the first time they received death threats, and more. It makes the viewer feel like a part of AP Dhillon’s success.
If you’re a fan of AP Dhillon’s music, you will really enjoy watching this docu-series. Because it proves one thing without a doubt–these brown munde will not rest till they achieve global domination.
Can you watch it with family? Yes, if you don’t mind some expletives here and there.
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