Talwiinder reveals why he wears a mask, inspired by Shaktiman and Mr India: ‘The real me just wants a normal life’

Mr India, Shaktiman inspiration behind Talwiinder’s mask

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Talwiinder spoke about the origins of his masked persona and the psychology behind it. Explaining what inspired the concept, he said, “The mask is low key inspired by Shaktiman, Mr India, Superman, Joker because you can’t do the craziness when you know that your neighbours are watching, your closed ones are watching, so you need an alias.”

He went on to add that cultural perceptions also influenced his choice “For me, I didn’t want to be one of those artists who get labelled as ‘besharam’. I thought it was better to play it safe because I take a lot of pride in my music.”

Talwiinder also spoke about how his life experiences and exposure to different cultures shaped the aesthetic behind the mask. “I knew I wanted to switch things up. California’s history, its connection to Mexico, Halloween being everywhere, it all played a role. When it came to choosing the mask, I knew it had to be a skull because it’s universal. I wanted people to think, whenever they see a skull, ‘Talwiinder ke gaane nahi sune yaar kaafi dino se.’”

‘My mask is a psychological tool’

For the singer, the mask goes far beyond aesthetics. It is a psychological tool, both for him and for his audience. “I love the psychology behind things. I feel it should be more fun and if you have people’s attention, you should play with it a little, give them something new, don’t repeat what everyone else is doing. Shock them a bit, expand their thinking, that’s always been my approach.”

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For Talwiinder, the performer, mask will stay

With videos of his unmasked face now circulating online, Talwiinder acknowledged that the mystery has faded for many fans, but insisted that it hasn’t changed his purpose. “Yes, people might know what I look like now, and I honestly don’t care. To those who love my music, I just want to say this doesn’t affect me or change anything. I just want to make music, and the music itself will give them all the answers.”

The singer was equally firm about why the mask remains an essential part of his live performances. “If you come to watch me sing, you’ll have to face the mask. The other guy, the real me, just wants to live a normal life and pay his bills. This guise exists to satisfy the world and handle all the noise and chaos. So yes, the mask will stay.”

Fans have long speculated about a planned face reveal, and Talwiinder confirmed that such an idea was once in the works. However, things didn’t unfold as expected, following the viral spread of his unmasked video. “I was working on something we do like a reveal in the future but it was kind of snatched away from me. We will see.”

‘Talwinder doesn’t show his face so…’

During the same conversation, he addressed the viral clip directly, clarifying that secrecy was never about playing games with the audience. “It was never about that ‘I am never going to show my face’, I am not playing hide and seek with the world. It was just like ‘Leave me alone, just focus on what I am giving to you’. That’s the public property, this is not. So, when that video came out, I saw that and it spread like wildfire.”

The incident deeply affected him. “You literally just killed somebody’s little goal, little thing that they were working on. A little psychology trick with the audience. So for me, I felt really heartbroken,” he said.

However, his perspective shifted soon after. “But, the next day, I saw an AI video like a voiceover, which said that this artist Talwiinder does not show his face so that his music is the main focus. And that’s when it hit me, I do have people’s attention on the music now. So, I don’t have to be so fidgety about not showing my face. It clicked to me in the moment. It’s not so taboo anymore. Even if they see my face, they see it, but just don’t bother me. When I am not in the face paint, leave me alone,” he concluded.

Since launching his music career in 2018, Talwiinder has steadily built a loyal fanbase across digital platforms. His discography includes popular tracks such as Pal Pal, Gaah, Dhundhala, Khayaal, Nasha, Wishes, a collaboration with Pakistani artist Hasan Raheem, Tu, and Funk Song.