‘Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous’ review: the documentary is mainly promotion of the new album

Director: Mozez Singh | Playing time: 80 minutes | Year: 2024

The talented Limburger Frans Pollux had the opportunity to perform as a musician at the Carré theater in Amsterdam. What happened? Half Venlo bought a ticket. It was a missed opportunity to see the rest of the Netherlands in person. Still, Pollux will not pretend to be a big star in the entire country. Yo Yo Honey Singh, on the other hand, happily shouts that he is a global star. A show in England and a show in the United States, for an exclusively Indian audience. It is clear from this documentary that Singh loves himself.

According to the description Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous It should be about why the Indian rapper and songwriter suddenly disappeared during his heyday. By observing him, it is seen that the man has not been sitting still for long and is simply trying with all his might to regain his first position, which is not possible due to several factors that are his fault and he himself blames others.

He also released a new album last August. Coincidentally, they were making a documentary about him. That looks nice. The result is a disaster. Maybe it suits his music, because basically Singh is just an American wannabe trying out all kinds of styles. He dresses like a black American rapper, he poses like that, he composes like that. Well, he has to know it himself and his rhythms are not bad.

But the documentary begins like a standard television production: a fluid introduction and just before the first commercial break, tantalizing the viewer with the promise of a juicy confession. What follows is a vague mix of past and present: a hysterical retelling of a life story and an unclear present tense shown in just eighty minutes.

In any case, the man is as superficial as possible. It is purely about fame, money, material and appearance. Even a disheveled couple passing cars to sell flowers is asked, “What’s my name?” The reason he was successful is because he briefly made music that was successful. The first version came about because he wrote a song that glorifies rape. He constantly denies that it is his number, and everyone has to take his word: the topic is dropped.

What follows is a series of setbacks, quite common in the world of music, but in this case it is not just about Singh. It’s the rest of the world’s fault that simply doesn’t want to cooperate. His mother and especially his sister are also ardent supporters, so he begins to feel quite uncomfortable. Only one interviewee who speaks from time to time tells it like this.

The big secret is that Singh went crazy one night. Like Britney Spears, success surpassed her mental capacity, she even shaved her head. The reason, according to Singh, is that he is bipolar, which is why he became so paranoid that he went crazy. It was probably more about smoking 12 to 20 joints a day (something he shares almost brilliantly at the beginning of the film).

The only interviewee who doesn’t mince his words gets it: Yo Yo Honey Singh is out of the picture. It’s no one’s fault but his own. Then he can continue to be so spiritual, continue to be so convinced of his own mega talent, continue training so hard because he believes that his fans will only accept him if his body looks in good condition. A lifelong career like the Rolling Stones or Madonna isn’t for almost everyone, but Singh refuses to accept it.

Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous is ninety-five percent a documentary about an artist who thinks he’s great and doesn’t realize his heyday is behind him, made by a director who largely indulges in self-glorification. There are some quotes from the media, but at times they seem fake and recorded specifically for the film.

In the final moments, Singh drops the name ‘Dré’. No, he’s not working with the American hip-hop legend, he’s given himself that new nickname. And it indicates that the second part of his life is approaching. In other words: can all the Netflix viewers in the world watch my new album? Spoiler alert: it didn’t end up being his big comeback.

Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous can be seen in netflix.