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Hevolution: The making of a man

Some say it takes an army to bring about a revolution, others say one man is enough. Yo Yo Honey Singh is blessed to have both — an army of avid and loyal supporters, while being the kind of a man who can bring about a change like no one else. Perhaps that is why when we went looking for the epicentre of this (h)evolution, we went no further than this desi kalakaar.

Story By: Sadhika Sehgal
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It is said that one can spend a lifetime with another person and still not know who they really are. Except many times, there doesn’t need to be another person in your life to make this saying come true — one could spend their entire lives not ever knowing who they themselves are.

And that is, somewhat, the case with a lot of men out there , not just our ‘kalaastar’ and cover star — Yo Yo Honey Singh.

Years of conditioning, social commentary and stereotyping single-handedly sent men back by aeons. But not anymore. With changing times, the reality that we now live in has also changed and (h)evolved.

Back in the day when Honey Singh started his music journey, little did he know that years later it would have transformed him not just as a singer, songwriter or  music producer, but also as a man. And a lot of change is owed to him realising, recognising and moving on from older notions that the society held on to for a very, very long time.

From experiencing highest of highs, to battling lowest of lows, Honey Singh’s life has been like a song with ebbs and flows of circumstances and human emotions. Somewhere along the way, he learnt how to be comfortable with uncomfortable silences, loneliness, success and even failures in his life. 

Perhaps that is why when we tuned in to listen to his perspective on love, life and more, we were as hooked as we would be to his ‘angrezi beats’.

Honey Singh on life 

Zindagi mushkil hai, agar isko mushkil maanke chaloge toh aur mushkil hoti jaayegi par agar isse mashuka maanoge - toh yeh pyaar karegi

Honey Singh on Ishq & Pyaar

Pyaar kahin na kahin jaake jismaani ho jaata hai, aur ishq sirf ruhaani hai. Ishq bina jismani agar karke dikhaoge toh woh ishq ban jaayega, warna tum pyaar hi kar rahe ho. Then keep saying ‘I love you’.”

Honey Singh on the evolution of masculinity

“I don’t think that masculinity has evolved as much, the definition of masculinity is still the same. Even today, before doing anything risky if a guy is scared, he is told ‘mard bann’. Since childhood, a boy has struggled to ‘be a man’. First he is getting bullied in school, then at work, then in love when he has to fight with people — it’s the same”

Honey Singh on heartbreak

“I have understood and accepted that I am not built to love another human being. Loving another person is not my purpose, loving my work is my purpose. Maybe when I can fulfil my love story with my work, I’ll get the chance to love god.”


Honey Singh on male friendship

“Friendship is what eventually keeps a person grounded. Male friends might call many a ‘bhai’, but woh nibhaate bhi hai. Jeb main 500 Rs. pade hain but 15 ladko ko leke jaa raha hai burger khilaane — ye hote hain bhai!

Credits
Head Of Editorial Content: Dattaraj Thaly
Story By: Sadhika Sehgal
Director: Vishakha Kaushik
Photographer: Apeksha Agarwal
Producer: Vinod Kumar
Makeup: Monish Ansari
Hair: Vickky Ahkkam
Video Editor: Kartikey, Rahul & Neeraj
Visual Designer: Disha Bhatia
Social Media Head: Aanchal Grover
Management: Rohit Chhabra, Nikunj Khann