Bhagwant Mann Height, Age, Caste, Wife, Family, Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Bhagwant Mann

• Bhagwant Mann is known for his satirical comedy TV shows and films like ‘Sawdhan Agge Bhagwant Mann,’ ‘Jugnu Haazir Hai’ and ‘Bhagwant Mann Non Stop.’ After an 18-year-long career in comedy, Mann ventured into the politics via People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) in 2011. In 2014, he joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

• Growing up as a notorious kid, Mann loved mimicking his friends, teachers, the sounds of a tractor, etc., to amuse others. Since childhood, he was fond of listening to the radio and closely followed RJs like Hari Sandhu, Devki Nandan Pandey, Indu Bahi, Tirath Singh Dhillon, and Raman Kumar. Listening to the radio, he was intrigued by both music and politics. It also provided him with abundant comical content, which he later performed in his standups.

• After enrolling in Shaheed Udham Singh Govt College in 1991, spent his college days participating in youth festivals. He actively took part and won prizes in various inter-college and inter-zonal competitions of poetry, mono acting, and histrionics. Karamjit Anmol, a popular Punjabi actor, comedian, and singer, was Mann’s batchmate during his college days.

• Worried about Mann’s education, his father banned him from participating in extra-curriculum activities during his college days. Although the comedian took the stage even after his father’s warning, he kept his participation a secret to avoid quarrels with his father. Therefore, when Mann secured himself any prizes or mementoes in competitions, he gave them away to fellow bus passengers while travelling from college to his home.

• During one of these festivals, he began his journey as a professional comedian after catching the attention of the music producer Jarnail Ghuman of the record label DMC Records Ltd, which offered Mann to tape an audio cassette of his standups.

• Before the recording of his cassette, Mann went to the main office of DMC Records Ltd in Ludhiana, where he was instructed to accompany Punjabi folk singers Muhammad Sadiq and Ranjit Kaur to their stage shows to gain some experience. Thereafter, Mann attended college during the weekdays and accompanied the singers to their shows during the weekends.

• On 16 May 1992, he stepped into the Punjabi entertainment industry with the comedy audio album ‘Gobhi Diye Kacchiye Vaparne,’ a satire in which he talked about inflation and corruption.

• In an interview, Mann recalled that once, while travelling to college via a bus, he encountered his audio cassette being played on the bus, but as people were familiar with only his voice back then, nobody recognized him.

• He gained popularity with his comical audio album ‘Kulfi Garma Garam,’ which parodied popular Punjabi songs. Via his comical audio albums, Mann introduced the Punjabi audience to the comedy genre “parody” in which subjects are presented using the satiric or ironic imitation.
  

• Later, Mann ventured into the Punjabi film industry. Acting credits under his belt include the films Kachehari (1994), Nain Preeto De (1995), and Main Maa Punjab Dee (1998).
  

  A poster of the film ‘Main Maa Punjab Dee’ (1998) featuring Bhagwant Mann

• Other comedy audio albums released by Mann include Mithiya Mircha, Sadi Billi Sanu Miyaoon, Dhakka Start, and Lalloo Kare Kawaliyan.
  

  Sadi Billi Sanu Miaun

• Soon, his career took off and he quit college when he was in his second year.

• At the beginning of his career, Mann, in collaboration with the Punjabi comedian Jagtar Jaggi, released various audio and video albums like ‘Hass-Hass Ke,’ ‘Just Laugh Baki Maff,’ and Lallu Kare Kawaliyan.
  

• Later, Mann started releasing video albums like ‘Sawdhan Agge Bhagwant Mann’ in which he shared the screen with the Punjabi actor and comedian Rana Ranbir.
  

  Bhagwant Mann and Rana Ranbir in ‘Sawdhan Agge Bhagwant Mann’

• Mann’s other popular comedy skit video cassettes include Bhagwant Mann Non Stop (2001), Kee Main Jhooth Boliya (2004), and Just Laugh Baaki Maaf (2009).

• Mann collaborated with Jagtar Jaggi for the TV show ‘Jugnu Kehnda Hai.’ Telecast on the channel Alpha ETC Punjabi, the show made the comedians a household name in Punjab. Later, the duo also appeared together in ‘Jugnu Haazir Hai’ on the channel MH One Music. The hit show also featured the Punjabi comedians Binnu Dhillon and Karamjit Anmol alongside Mann and Jagtar Jaggi.
  

  Bhagwant Mann, along with Karamjit Anmol and Binnu Dhillon, in the TV show ‘Jugnu Haazir Hai’

• Besides Jagtar Jaggi, Mann shared the screen with Punjabi actor Rana Ranbir for the weekly TV show ‘Jugnu Mast Mast’ telecast on Alpha ETC Punjabi.

• In 2003, Mann extensively toured across the UK, US, and Canada, with his co-performers, Tejinder Thind, Binnu Dhillon, Karamjit Anmol, Rana Ranbir, Simranpreet, and Anita, for the comedy skit show ‘No Life with Wife.’

• A skilled singer-songwriter, Mann often voiced the parodied Punjabi songs in his comedy skit albums. He also lent his voice to the music album ‘Jatta Da Munda Gaun Lag Gaya.’ A music lover, Mann wanted to pursue a career in singing at the beginning of his career, but instead, music became a part of his creative journey as a comedian.
• He appeared as a contestant on the Indian reality stand-up comedy show ‘Great Indian Laughter Challenge’ (2008). Airing on STAR Plus, the show featured former cricketer, politician, and television personality Navjot Singh Sidhu as a judge.
  

  Bhagwant Mann on Great Indian Laughter Challenge (2008)

• He has also appeared as a contestant in ‘Comedy Ka King Kaun,’ which aired on Sony Sab and featured Punjabi comedian Jaspal Bhatti and Indian actress Divya Dutta as judges.
  

  Bhagwant Mann in Comedy Ka King Kaun

• To satirically represent social and political issues, Mann mimicked politicians, policemen, business departments, sports, etc., which not only amused but also educated people. Voicing social issues led him to become a people person. He received fan mails in which people talked about the issues they were facing in different regions of Punjab. The fans requested Mann to include these issues in his standups so that they can attract the attention of the government. His fanbase saw him as a medium to approach government officials, who, otherwise, turned a blind eye to the problems of the common man.

• Although Mann wasn’t associated with any political party until 2011, he was still aware of ongoing political scenarios. Before his allegiance to any party, Mann actively participated in various protests alongside farm union leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, who is known for his active participation in the 2020 Indian farmers’ protest.

• In 2011, he started his political journey by joining the People’s Party of Punjab (PPP), founded by Indian politician Manpreet Singh Badal. The Punjab-based Indian political party was founded in March 2011 after Manpreet Singh had disagreements with his uncle Parkash Singh Badal, former CM of Punjab and patron of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

• In 2014, Bhagwant Mann joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
  

  Bhagwant Mann with the national convener of AAP Arvind Kejriwal

• Inderpreet, who accompanied Mann in his political journey since his PPP days, actively campaigned for AAP during the 2014 Indian general elections in Punjab.
  

  Inderpreet Kaur delivering speeches in favour of AAP in the villages of Sangrur during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections

• An adherent follower of Bhagat Singh, Mann visited his memorial in Khatkar Kalan the next day after becoming the MP Sangrur in 2014 to take the blessings of the Indian revolutionary. While talking about his admiration of Bhagat Singh, in an interview, he revealed that, unlike other religious people who visit a temple after buying a new car, Mann visits the Khatkar Kalan memorial.

• In the 2015 Indian-Punjabi political comedy film ’22g Tussi Ghaint Ho,’ Mann played the protagonist, a politician named Boota.
  

• Bhagwant Mann and Inderpreet Kaur filed a divorce application in a SAS Nagar court in March 2015, under Section 13-B of the Hindu Marriage Act, the decree of divorce by mutual consent. Inderpreet, who had actively participated in Mann’s political campaign in the past, was no more in favour of his political career. The news came as a shock to many as they seemed like a happily married couple.

• The MP Sangrur publicly claimed that he chose Punjab over family via a poem posted on his Facebook account. Mann, who is known for his oratory skills in Lok Sabha, wrote,
  

  Jo latkeya si chiran ton o hal ho geya,
  Court ch eh faisla kal ho geya,
  Ek passay parivar, dujje passay si parivar,
  Main tan yarro Punjab de wal ho geya.”

  (A long-pending issue has been resolved. The court decided yesterday. I had to choose between one family and the other. I decided to go with Punjab)

  Thereafter, many accused Mann of getting political mileage out of his divorce case. Since the divorce, Inderpreet, along with her children live in California, US, meanwhile Mann oscillates between Delhi and Mohali in India.

• Via a tweet, Bhagwant Mann announced his resignation from the post of AAP Punjab’s president in 2018 as he was upset with Arvind Kejriwal’s apology to SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, whom Kejriwal accused of being involved in drug trades in Punjab. Though Mann did not officially function as the state president for ten months, there was ambiguity regarding his status as the party did not accept his resignation. He was reappointed as the state president of Punjab in January 2019 to strengthen AAP’s prospects ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

• Through public polling, Mann was chosen as the chief ministerial candidate of AAP for the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly elections.

• In February 2022, a resident of Nabha in the Patiala district filed a complaint against Mann claiming that Mann had concealed his marital status in his election affidavit. The accuser claimed that Mann had put ‘not applicable’ in the spouse column even though he was not legally divorced. The complaint was sent to the Punjab chief electoral officer by Harkirat Singh Sakrali, who found that Bhagwant Mann and Inderpreet Kaur did not appear for the second motion statement after filing a petition for divorce in 2015. Therefore, no judgment for divorce was ever passed, as per the information available. The returning officer Ishmit Vijay Singh claimed that she had not received any complaint in the matter so far and that she wasn’t entitled to check the marital status of a candidate unless the candidate had a grave criminal background. ^[7]The Times of India However, the 17th Lok Sabha Members Bioprofile of Bhagwant Mann, states that he is a divorcee. ^[8]Lok Sabha Members Bioprofile

• Under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann, AAP formed its first state government in Punjab gaining a full majority on 10 March 2022 winning 92 out of 117 seats in the Punjab Legislative Assembly elections. Bhagwant Mann, along with Arvind Kejriwal, after winning the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly elections

• Bhagwant Mann took the oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab in the presence of Governor Banwarilal Purohit on 16 March 2022. The swearing-in ceremony was held at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of the Indian revolutionary Bhagat Singh.
  

  Bhagwant Mann, alongside the Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, swearing in as the Chief Minister of Punjab on 16 March 2022 at Khatkar Kalan village

• In his first Cabinet meeting after becoming the chief minister of Punjab, which was held on 19 March 2022, Mann announced his decision to fill the 25,000 vacancies in several departments of the Punjab government, including 10,000 vacancies in the Police Department.

• Mann, on multiple occasions, has been accused of turning up drunk at various formal events. In 2015, a viral video featured Bhagwant Mann attending a condolence meeting in Faridkot under the influence of alcohol. Another video of Mann in which he was delivering a speech at Lok Sabha, allegedly drunk, went viral in 2019. During a public rally ahead of the 2019 Indian general election, Bhagwant Mann pledged to quit drinking alcohol swearing in his mother’s name. Yet, Mann has been repeatedly accused of not keeping his promise by both Congress and BJP. ^[9]The Tribune

• Thereafter, he was given the moniker “Pegwant Mann,” due to his drinking habits. ^[10]The Print

• While talking about the scar on his neck, in an interview, Mann disclosed the fact that his chin was affixed to his chest at the time of his birth. The chin detached itself from the chest after an hour of his birth. Following the breakage of the chin, the doctors avoided taking any action on the infant as it seemed okay. Later, with age, Mann developed a cyst in his throat for which he had to undergo surgery at Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Although the doctors failed to remove it in the first attempt, they succeeded in the second attempt.

• A sports enthusiast, Mann grew up watching tennis championships like Grand Slam, The US Open, Wimbledon, The French Open, and the Australian Open on the Doordarshan channel during his teens. In an interview, he said,
  

  There are no such sports that I don’t like…If I get a chance, I also go to watch these matches live.”

  Additionally, Mann also revealed that he competed in volleyball and shooting at university levels.