Punjabi rap is both confrontational and relatable

Parmish Verma, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and Jasmin Bajwa discuss their series Kanneda, what sets Punjabi rap apart, and more

- SHREYAS PANDE

MUSIC is at the centre of JioHotstar's recently released series Kanneda, which tells the story of Nimma (Parmish Verma), a Punjabi immigrant who gets sucked into the world of crime in Canada. For Nimma, singing rap on the beats developed by his friend Daljeet (Aadar Malik) proves to be an escape from the prejudice he faces on the streets. Understanding the musical side of Nimma was not difficult for Parmish, who is a singer in real life. "My background is in acting but the Punjabi music industry gave me an opportunity to express myself," he says, adding that the music album of Kanneda gives a parallel summary of the story. "The songs have certain details of the character that the show doesn't portray; the lyrics talk about the unsaid as well," says the actor-singer.