Veteran actor Anupam Kher has defended singer Daler Mehndi after a performance at a cultural event in Uttarakhand was interrupted by cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal, who accused the singer of being drunk. The allegation has not been confirmed.
Mehndi was performing at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in New Tehri on October 18 when Uniyal went on stage and stopped the performance. In a video circulating on social media, the minister can be heard telling Mehndi that he was intoxicated and making a fool of himself.
Uniyal also questioned how Mehndi could sing when, according to him, the singer could not even speak properly. Mehndi appeared confused during the exchange as the confrontation took place in front of the audience.
Reacting to the video in a post and video shared on X, Kher said he felt upset at seeing Mehndi being publicly humiliated. He said he had known the singer for 25 to 30 years and personally knew that Mehndi did not drink.
Kher described Mehndi as “one of the finest human beings” he had met and added that the singer had not been keeping well for the past two or three years.
“Nobody should speak to anybody like this and that also on a public forum. This is not fair. To publicly accuse someone like this is wrong. Daler ji, I am so sorry,” Kher said.
Addressing Uniyal directly, the actor said the minister could have had concerns about Mehndi’s performance or been unhappy with it, but questioned the decision to go on stage and reprimand him publicly.
Kher said the matter could have been conveyed to Mehndi privately and with respect instead of humiliating him before everyone present at the event.