Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi is at the centre of a row after his performance at a Navratri event in Uttarakhand drew public criticism from a Cabinet minister. Now actor Anupam Kher has come out in his support, saying he was hurt by the way the veteran artiste was criticised openly.
Anupam Kher Backs Daler Mehndi: What the Actor Said
In a video message, Kher said he has known Mehndi for the past 20-30 years and described him as a kind-hearted person. He questioned whether the singer needed to be criticised in public at all.
Kher's argument was simple: the minister could have conveyed his displeasure in private and with respect. He also said he was aware that Mehndi had not been keeping well over the past two to three years, and urged members of the entertainment industry who knew the singer to stand by him.
Old "I Do Not Drink Alcohol" Interview Resurfaces
As the row continues, an old interview of Daler Mehndi has resurfaced on social media. In that interview, the singer had said he does not consume alcohol. The clip is being shared widely again amid the ongoing criticism of his event performance.
The resurfaced remark has added a new layer to the public debate around the singer, with people on social media pointing to it while discussing the controversy.
Why This Row Matters for the Entertainment Industry
The episode has turned into a wider question about how public figures are criticised. On one side is a minister's right to express displeasure over a performance. On the other is the way that criticism was delivered — openly, and against a veteran artiste who, according to Kher, has been unwell.
- Kher's support gives Mehndi a prominent voice from within the film industry
- The old interview clip is shaping how people online view the singer
- The row has moved beyond the event itself to a debate on public criticism of artistes
Our Take: Public Criticism Should Come With Respect
In our view, Anupam Kher has raised a fair point. A Cabinet minister holds a position of power, and when he criticises an artiste publicly, it carries weight that a private conversation would not. If the concern was genuinely about the performance, a respectful word in private would have achieved the same thing without turning it into a public spectacle.
To put it plainly, the entertainment industry often treats its veterans poorly when a controversy starts. Kher, who has known Mehndi for decades, is doing what colleagues should do — speaking up for someone who cannot fully defend himself right now, especially given his reported health issues.
The resurfaced "I do not drink alcohol" clip also shows how old statements get pulled back into new fights. For readers, the takeaway is this: watch the facts, not the noise. A performance was criticised, a colleague responded, and an old interview came back into the spotlight. That is the story — nothing more, nothing less.
