Abhijeet Bhattacharya has reacted to the controversy around Daler Mehndi, speaking out against lip-syncing at live performances. Although he did not take the Punjabi singer’s name, he referred to the incident in which a minister called out a singer for not performing live at an event.
Abhijeet Bhattacharya backs live singing
Abhijeet Bhattacharya recently performed at Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava 2026. A video of him speaking on the issue is now going around on social media. In the clip, he says in Hindi, which translates to, “If someone is not actually singing live into the microphone, then don’t allow it. A few days ago, there was an incident where a minister came onto the stage and spoke the truth. He said, ‘You are not singing. You can barely stand, and you are not really performing live.’ He spoke the truth. But he ended up becoming the villain in the eyes of many people. Yet this is something that happens on stages everywhere.”
Abhijeet Bhattacharya’s promise to the audience
Abhijeet Bhattacharya then urged the audience, especially in Chhattisgarh, to stop such practices. He added, “I request all of you, especially here in Chhattisgarh, not to let this happen. No matter how I sing, whether I sing badly, whether my voice is strained, whether I get tired, or whether I sing off-key, whatever I do, I will sing live. That is the respect I owe you for giving me your time. You have spent your hard-earned money, invited me here, and made all these arrangements. Behind this event lies the hard work of the administration, the department and all of you. I bow to all of you and promise that I will never cheat you in this way. I will never simply move my lips in the name of singing. Some people do that, but I won’t.”
What happened with Daler Mehndi
Last month, Daler Mehndi was stopped mid-performance by Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal at a cultural event in the state. The minister reprimanded the singer on stage, questioned his performance and said he looked disoriented. He said, “You can’t even speak properly; how will you sing?”Later, speaking to ANI, the minister said Daler Mehndi had been paid Rs 35 lakh to perform at the event.After the incident, Daler Mehndi’s brother and fellow singer Mika Singh, along with several other celebrities, criticised the minister for disrespecting the singer. Mika Singh also said Daler Mehndi was unwell during the performance. However, the minister refused to apologise to Daler Mehndi.
