Anupam Kher on Daler Mehndi’s Rs 35 lakhs stage row

Daler Mehndi’s Navaratri set in Uttarakhand turned into a public confrontation when cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal walked up mid-show. In front of the audience, the minister accused the singer of intoxication and lip-syncing, and questioned whether the act was worth the Rs 35 lakhs he had been paid.

The moment quickly drew a response from Anupam Kher, who posted a video and a written note on Instagram. His message was direct: the frustration may have been real, but the stage was the wrong place for it.

The on-stage interruption

Daler Mehndi was performing as part of a Navaratri celebration event in Uttarakhand when the minister interrupted him. The singer faced three accusations in quick succession: intoxication, lip-syncing and a poor stage showing despite the fee. For live audiences, it meant a festive evening was suddenly dominated by an argument.

Kher said he has known Mehndi for 25 to 30 years. “He doesn’t drink as far as I am concerned,” Kher said in his video, adding that the singer is “one of the finest human beings that I have ever met.”

What Anupam Kher said

• He has known Daler Mehndi for 25 to 30 years and does not believe the intoxication claim.
• He called the singer one of the finest people he has met.
• He asked the industry to stand up, not just Mika Singh.

In his caption, Kher asked: “Was it really necessary to humiliate him like that, on stage, in front of everyone?” He added that the singer has brought joy through his songs for about 35 years and deserves appreciation, noting that Daler Mehndi has been unwell for some time.

He also addressed his film and music colleagues directly, arguing that supporting the singer should not be left only to his brother because others in the industry should speak up too.

Why this resonates beyond one show

For Hindi film and music fans, this is not just a Navaratri crowd video. It touches the way senior artistes are treated once they are off the release charts. A payment or performance dispute is a backstage matter; an on-stage rebuke turns the audience into witnesses and the singer into a headline.

Kher’s larger plea is about dignity. He said an artist’s recognition is the result of a lifetime of work, and that Daler Mehndi’s decades of hits deserve more consideration than a single bad night.

The cleaner route for live events

If a host is unhappy with a live act, the constructive path is a private conversation after the set. The organisers can discuss the fee, the performance or the sound without making the artist the show’s villain. Publicly naming accusations in front of a crowd only creates a viral moment, not a solution.

Daler Mehndi has faced legal trouble before; Filmfare’s related coverage notes he was earlier sentenced to two years in jail in a human trafficking case and received bail. That past makes the intoxication claim especially loaded, even as Kher backed the person he says he knows.

The industry response will be watched. Kher has made the first move, and the question is whether the rest of the filmi world joins him.

Source: Filmfare