"Are You Drunk?": Minister's Stage Rant at Daler Mehndi Backfires as Anupam Kher, Mika, Badshah Hit Back

"Are You Drunk?": Minister's Stage Rant at Daler Mehndi Backfires as Anupam Kher, Mika, Badshah Hit Back

Mantri ji, Was It Necessary? Anupam Kher Slams Uttarakhand Minister Over Daler Mehndi's Public Humiliation

From Kunjapuri Stage to National Storm: Bollywood Rallies Behind 'Legend' Daler Mehndi

Tehri Garhwal / Mumbai, October 21: A viral video of an Uttarakhand Cabinet minister scolding Daler Mehndi mid-performance has turned into a major controversy, with leading names from music and cinema calling it an insult to one of India's most celebrated singers.

The Stage Showdown

The singer behind hits such as "Tunak Tunak Tun" and "Bolo Ta Ra Ra" was performing at the 'Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair' in New Tehri on Sunday night when Cabinet minister and Narendra Nagar MLA Subodh Uniyal voiced his displeasure. Uniyal walked onto the stage, halted the show and accused the singer of being drunk, though the claim could not be confirmed. In the viral clip, Mehndi looks bewildered as the minister shouts at him, questioning why he was fooling the audience and how he could sing when he could barely speak.

Minister Stands Firm

Uniyal later told ANI that a big artist must do justice to his art, alleging that Mehndi seemed disoriented, struggled to stay on his feet and was only lip-syncing. He also said the singer had been offered ₹35 lakh for the performance.

Anupam Kher Leads the Pushback

Veteran actor Anupam Kher said the way the minister spoke to Mehndi was deeply upsetting to watch. Saying he has known the singer for 20 to 30 years, Kher stated that to his knowledge Mehndi does not drink and has been unwell for the past two to three years. He accepted that the singer may have lip-synced, but stressed, "Nobody should speak to anybody like that, that too in an open forum." Kher added that the minister could have raised his grievance privately and with dignity, and urged the industry to stand with Mehndi instead of leaving the defence to Mika Singh alone.

Mika Singh Reveals Surgery

Mehndi's younger brother Mika Singh said in an Instagram video that he would quit singing if anyone ever caught the 59-year-old drinking. He explained that artists often perform committed shows despite illness and revealed that Mehndi had recently undergone a major surgery, something his brother had asked him to keep private.

Stars Speak Up

Rapper Badshah called Mehndi a legend and said publicly humiliating an artist who has given so much to music is deeply disheartening, adding: "Legends deserve dignity especially when they are vulnerable." Comedian Kapil Sharma urged people to be kinder, noting that few knew about the singer's serious surgery. Singer Harshdeep Kaur said Mehndi seemed very unwell that day, as on stage he usually roars rather than just sings.

What Next

Daler Mehndi has not yet responded publicly. The minister's allegations of intoxication remain unverified, while the singer's family and friends attribute his condition to ill health.

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