Daler Mehndi Controversy: Minister Accuses Singer of Drunk Performance at Uttarakhand Fair; Badshah Backs Him

Bhangra legend Daler Mehndi has found himself at the centre of a fierce controversy after a Uttarakhand cabinet minister stormed onto the stage during his live performance and publicly accused him of appearing intoxicated and lip-syncing. The incident, which took place at a government-backed cultural fair on 18 October 2026, has divided the internet — with fellow artists including Badshah, Mika Singh and Palash Sen rushing to the singer’s defence.

What happened at the Kunjapuri Fair in Uttarakhand

Daler Mehndi performing at a live cultural event. (Representational image from an earlier concert, not the Uttarakhand show.)

The veteran singer was performing at the cultural evening of the historic Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in New Tehri, Uttarakhand, on the night of 18 October, during the Navratri festivities. According to video footage and eyewitness accounts, Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister and local MLA Subodh Uniyal walked directly onto the stage mid-show, interrupted the performance in front of the gathered audience, and accused the veteran singer of being drunk and of lip-syncing to pre-recorded audio instead of singing live.

In the widely shared video clip, the minister is heard questioning the singer’s conduct. Mehndi, with folded hands, is heard requesting: “Sir, I request you with folded hands… please leave the stage.” The confrontation ended the performance, and the video went viral across social media within hours.

Minister’s allegation: “he seemed disoriented on stage”

Daler Mehndi on stage during a concert performance. The impairment allegation against him has not been independently established.

Speaking to news agency ANI afterwards, Subodh Uniyal defended his decision to halt the show. “He is a big artist. If a big artist doesn’t do justice to their art… he seemed disoriented on stage and didn’t seem to be able to even keep standing,” the minister said. “Besides this, he was only lip-syncing to his songs. I told him that he is a big artist and he should do justice to his art; he had been offered ₹35 lakh to come and perform, but he was not even singing. So, I expressed my resentment.”

The minister also disclosed that the state had paid the veteran artist ₹35 lakh to appear at the government-backed cultural gathering — a figure that has itself become a talking point online.

Badshah, Mika Singh and Palash Sen back Daler Mehndi

Daler Mehndi, the king of Bhangra, has received support from Badshah, Mika Singh and Palash Sen after the stage incident.

The music industry has largely rallied behind the veteran singer. Rapper Badshah took to his Instagram stories to condemn what he called the public humiliation of a legendary artist: “Daler Mehndi paaji is a legend. Period. You can express disappointment. But publicly humiliating an artist who has given so much to our music industry is extremely disheartening. Legends deserve dignity, especially when they’re vulnerable. Respect, always.”

Mika Singh also extended his support to Mehndi, reportedly vowing to quit singing if anyone could prove the alcohol allegation. Palash Sen, frontman of Euphoria, wrote a lengthy note calling him his brother and the “King of Bhangra,” and criticised the trolling directed at the artist, arguing that people behind screens forget the human being behind the icon. Comedian-actor Kapil Sharma too called for kindness toward the singer.

Social media divided over the Daler Mehndi controversy

The singer has remained active across music and digital projects. His formal response to the allegation had not been reported at the time of writing.

The controversy has triggered intense debate online. One camp argues that a minister interrupting a live show to publicly shame an artist is an abuse of power and deeply disrespectful — pointing to Daler Mehndi’s three-decade contribution to music. The other camp argues that a performer paid ₹35 lakh of public money owes the audience a proper live performance, and that calling out lip-syncing is legitimate.

It is important to note that the allegation of impairment has not been independently established. Supporters, including fellow entertainers, have defended the singer and suggested health-related explanations for his on-stage demeanour. As of publication, Daler Mehndi had not issued a formal statement addressing the allegation.

Latest twist: minister denies he ever apologised

A live concert crowd. The minister now denies apologising to Daler Mehndi, contradicting claims from Mika Singh’s team. (Representational image.)

The row took a fresh turn a week later. On 26 October, Mika Singh’s team issued a statement saying the minister had apologised to Daler Mehndi over a telephone call and welcoming the gesture — a development some outlets reported as the controversy coming to an end. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had also spoken to both singer brothers around 23 October and conveyed his regret over the episode, inviting them to perform in the state again.

But on 27 October the minister publicly denied that any apology had been made. Speaking to YouTube channel Satya Vani, Subodh Uniyal said there was “no question” of him apologising, contradicting the claim from Mika’s team. He argued that if the singer was unwell, he should either have skipped the show or told the organisers and the audience in advance — and stood by his decision to halt the performance.

Industry voices have stayed behind the singer throughout. Mika Singh said his brother does not drink and had been unwell on the night, demanding an on-camera apology from the minister. Anupam Kher criticised the minister for humiliating a senior artist on stage, while Rajpal Yadav, Shaan, Ila Arun, Palash Sen, Kapil Sharma and Sudesh Lehri also extended support to Daler Mehndi.

The allegation of impairment, however, remains exactly that — an allegation, not an independently established fact. With both sides now on record with contradictory accounts of the apology phone call, the dispute is far from settled.

For a singer who has given the subcontinent anthems like “Bolo Ta Ra Ra” and “Tunak Tunak Tun,” the sight of him being publicly berated on stage has struck a chord far beyond Uttarakhand. This story is developing; UrduPro will update it as new statements emerge.

Sources: Cinema Express · HiIndia · Filmfare · LatestLY