Deep Sidhu: Man of many shades, loved and hated in equal measure

It was the farmers' tractor march and the Red Fort violence on Republic Day last year that put Sidhu in the limelight and brought him widespread criticism in its wake.

4 min readAmritsarUpdated: Feb 16, 2022 11:32 PM IST

He had emerged on the farmers' agitation stage by organising a massive protest at Delhi's Shambhu border on September 25, 2020.

The world’s opinion about him seemed evenly divided. Lawyer, actor, activist Deep Sidhu attracted admirers and critics in almost equal measure.

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It was the farmers’ tractor march and the Red Fort violence on Republic Day last year that put Sidhu in the limelight and brought him widespread criticism in its wake. Leading up to that day, Sidhu was seen as a significant social media commentator in Punjab with 5.5 lakh followers on his Facebook page.

He had emerged on the farmers’ agitation stage by organising a massive protest at Delhi’s Shambhu border on September 25, 2020.

The national media, however, noticed him after a video of him arguing with the police in English and terming farmers’ protest ‘a revolution’ went viral.

Read | Deep Sidhu, actor-activist accused in Red Fort violence, dies in car crash

After the Red Fort violence, he remained on the run for several days after being booked by the police. But all through, he never expressed any regret over the events and always insisted that no disrespect was caused to the Tricolour by hoisting of the Nishan Sahib at the Red Fort.

These days, Sidhu was busy campaigning for the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) candidate Simranjit Singh Mann in Amarnath. A few days back, he had even addressed an impressive gatherings in support of Mann.

But that’s not all that was keeping him busy. Before being snatched away by the road accident, Sidhu was preparing for life post the farmers’ agitation.

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Talking to The Indian Express last month on the first anniversary of the farmers’ tractor march, Sidhu, who was out on bail, had said that he was working on three Punjabi movies including one on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.

His first movie was Ramta Jogi was released in 2015. Sidhu, however, became a star with filmmaker Amardeep Gill’s Jora Das Numbria, in which he played lead role of a young gangster.

The release of second chapter of Jora Das Numbria was affected due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

He had told The Indian Express that during the lockdown he read several books by author Ajmer Singh, who wrote mostly about alleged tempering of Punjab and Sikh history and its impact on the state and its politics. He also spoke with admiration for former militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

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It was during this period that he uploaded several videos on social media on Punjab’s history, culture and economy.

The route to this social media stardom involved different feats.

Sidhu also ran a Mumbai-based law firm ‘Lex Legal’ which dealt with intellectual property rights and international law. He then turned to movies.

Sidhu had also won the Kingfisher Model Hunt award before starting his acting career.

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His popularity, however, took a hit after the tractor parade. Some farmer unions distanced themselves from Sidhu accusing him of a conspiracy over his links with the BJP MP Sunny Deol. Deep Sidhu had campaigned for Sunny Deol in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Sidhu always denied allegations of being part of any conspiracy to defame the farmers’ movement, and stayed popular among a big section of the farmer protesters till the very end of the agitation.

Filmmaker Gill said: “Deep Sidhu’s mother had died when he was child and he was self-made person. Deep Sidhu was living in Mumbai for almost 15 years he had a very successful career as lawyer and worked with big law firms. He was also doing modelling. This is how he developed relations with Deol family. He was a very intelligent and sharp guy. He would know if I would make a little last minute change in the dialogue or script that I had discussed with him before start of the movie production.”

The actor-activist’s family had shifted to Bathinda, while their ancestral village was Udekaran in Muktsar. His brother, Mandeep, who lives in Ludhiana, too had received NIA summons during the farmers’ agitation.

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

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