Daler Mehndi stage row: son says family is stressed

Daler Mehndi’s son Gurdeep Mehndi has broken his silence on the controversy that began when a Uttarakhand minister publicly pulled up the singer during a mela performance. The family is stressed, he said, but is dealing with the fallout together.

What happened at the Kunjapuri Devi Mela

The incident took place during Daler Mehndi’s live set at the Kunjapuri Devi Mela in Tehri. Minister Subodh Uniyal walked on stage and accused the singer of lip-syncing and being intoxicated. A video of the confrontation spread quickly, pushing what might have been a local disagreement into national entertainment headlines.

Gurdeep, who was outside India at the time, said he later asked his father how he was. Daler’s reply, he said, was simple: “First class.” Gurdeep went on to say the family was stressed, and thanked the film industry and his uncle Mika Singh for their support.

The minister is not backing down

At a press conference, Uniyal defended his decision to confront Daler. He asked whether a smaller artist would have been “let off the hook,” and raised the question of a Rs 36 lakh offer. His larger point: a big artist should not escape accountability because of fame.

Uniyal also said artists have a responsibility to inform organisers and audiences in advance if their health is poor. When reporters asked if he would apologise, he replied “Look, fine,” and left.

Music industry and political outreach

Mika Singh came out strongly in his brother’s defence and demanded an apology. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami then spoke to the Mehndi brothers to calm tensions. Mika later said at a press conference that Dhami had apologised to him on Uniyal’s behalf for the allegation that Daler was drunk on stage.

Daler himself has not yet issued a personal statement.

Why it matters beyond the stage

For fans, the row is not just about one performance. It opens questions about how public figures are treated, how live shows handle health and technical issues, and what happens when an official’s public reprimand collides with an artist’s reputation.

• Gurdeep has addressed the matter directly, but Daler has stayed silent for now.
• Uniyal has framed his conduct as accountability, not disrespect.
• The chief minister’s call suggests an attempt to manage the political fallout.

The differing versions leave audiences with a now-familiar filmi-style contest: a stage moment, a family response, an industry defence and a political intervention.

Source: India Today