Singers Mika Singh, Harshdeep Kaur, Shaan and Alisha Chinai, rapper Badshah and actor-comedian Kapil Sharma have come out in support of veteran indie-pop star Daler Mehndi after a video of him being confronted on stage by a Uttarakhand minister at a Navratri event went viral, citing his recent surgery and ill health while condemning the “public humiliation” of an artiste who once dominated India’s indie pop scene.
The incident occurred on Sunday at the 50th Maa Kunjapuri Mela, an annual tourism and development fair in Tehri Garhwal. Uttarakhand cabinet minister and Narendra Nagar MLA Subodh Uniyal stopped Mehndi mid-concert, accusing him of performing under the influence of alcohol and lip-syncing. Getting on stage and speaking into the microphone, Uniyal said, “You are fooling people.. We called you because you are a big name.. But you are not able to speak; how will you sing?” Mehndi appeared disoriented and struggled to deliver his songs, repeatedly telling the minister to return to his seat. The video has since drawn intense online scrutiny.
Speaking to The Indian Express on Tuesday, Uniyal defended his actions, saying, “If he was not physically fit, he should not have come to the programme… You are making a fool of yourself if you are not physically fit, and if you cannot speak properly, you should not have come. He should have maintained the dignity expected of a great artist.” He added that money had been paid, first-class tickets booked and hotels arranged for several people, and said he had received calls urging him to issue a statement that Mehndi was on medication but refused to do so.
Mika Singh, who described Mehndi as his elder brother, rejected the allegations in an Instagram video, saying, “It has been spread in the media that Daler Mehndi was drunk while singing… I want to ask you all: he is a superstar for the last 30 years; has anyone ever seen him drinking? Has anyone ever seen alcohol at his birthday party?” He attributed Mehndi’s condition to ill health and a recent serious medical procedure.
Sharing Mika’s video, Kapil Sharma wrote that Mehndi “went through some serious surgery which people don’t know,” adding, “All we need to do is to be kinder towards others…We don’t know what someone is going through.” Harshdeep Kaur called Mehndi “a legend” and said he did appear unwell, “otherwise when on stage, he not just sings, he roars.” Alisha Chinai, commenting on Mika’s post, said Mehndi “did not need to prove that he can sing to anyone or seek any validation,” noting that everyone uses backing vocals and minus-one tracks at shows. “How dare someone come onstage and insult him in this manner. It speaks of tasteless behaviour and reflects poorly on the minister,” she wrote. Badshah said disappointment can be expressed, but “publicly humiliating an artist who has given so much to our music industry is extremely disheartening,” while Shaan called Mehndi the “original rockstar.”
The show of solidarity comes for an artiste who, in the ’90s, turned Punjabi folk into a pop phenomenon. From his debut album Bolo Tara Rara (1995) to the infectious hooks of Tunak Tunak Tun (1998), Mehndi’s high-energy music took the Subcontinent by storm in an era reshaped by cable channels like MTV India and Channel V, long before social media propelled artistes to mass success.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/mika-badshah-kapil-sharma-back-daler-mehndi-over-public-humiliation-at-uttarakhand-event-10929739/
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Publish Date: 2026-10-21 08:53:00
