Singer Sona Mohapatrahas questioned whether respect for veteran artists can come at the cost of professional accountability, sharing her experience of watching Daler Mehndi perform at a Sufi festival in New Delhi. Her remarks come amid a controversy surrounding the singer’s performance at a cultural event in Uttarakhand, where state Cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal publicly reprimanded him on stage.
The incident has sparked a debate online, with several singers, including Mika Singh and Badshah, coming out in support of Daler. However, Sona has raised questions about the expectations of audiences and the responsibility of artists and their teams to deliver an honest performance.
Sona Mohapatra talks about Daler Mehndi being reprimanded for his performance on stage
On Tuesday, Sona took to Instagram to recall staying back in Delhi to watch Daler perform at the second edition of the Sufi Heritage Festival. She said she had been following the controversy surrounding his performance in Uttarakhand and felt compelled to share her personal experience. Clarifying that she did not intend to disrespect the veteran singer, she said there was a larger, uncomfortable question that needed to be addressed within the performing arts.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Deep Dive
What did Sona Mohapatra say about Daler Mehndi’s performance at the Sufi Heritage Festival?
Sona said Daler appeared disoriented, struggled to hold a note and repeated the same musical phrase. She also said audience members gradually left and argued that audiences deserve an honest performance or an honest explanation when that is not possible.
Why did Subodh Uniyal reprimand Daler Mehndi during the Uttarakhand event?
Uniyal said Daler appeared disoriented and was lip-syncing rather than singing, and said he had been paid ₹35 lakh to perform. Allegations that Daler was under the influence of alcohol were not independently verified.
How does Sona Mohapatra say artists should balance respect for a legacy with professional accountability?
Sona said veteran artists deserve dignity and empathy, but their age and legacy do not exempt them from professional accountability. She added that if an artist is unwell, the situation should be handled compassionately and responsibly.
{{^usCountry}}
Recalling the incident, Sona said she and her team had stayed back at the request of the festival organisers, hoping to watch Daler perform a different, Sufi-oriented set. However, she described the experience as heartbreaking, claiming that the singer appeared disoriented and struggled to hold a note.
{{/usCountry}}
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
She wrote, “Artists rarely stay back after their own shows. We are usually on the next flight out. But Yasmin & Himanshu and their wonderful organising team very kindly accommodated our request to stay another night. We were genuinely excited to watch a legend perform what we had been told would be a very different, Sufi-oriented set. What unfolded was heartbreaking. From where we watched, Daler ji appeared disoriented, struggled to hold a note and kept repeating the same musical phrase. The overall production was also deeply disappointing. We watched audience members gradually leave, people who had paid good money and come with great expectations.”
Sona recalled that her team was left in disbelief and felt particularly sorry for the organisers, who had invested their rected artist. She added that she did not know whether the people representing Daler, including his management or family, had been aware of any difficulties he might have been facing
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Questioning why she and her team had chosen to remain silent at the time, Sona said they had been uncomfortable and saddened but had refrained from speaking out of respect for the singer.
She wrote, “And yet, none of us said anything. Not my team, not me. We stood there, uncomfortable and saddened, but silent. Out of respect. Which brings me to the uncomfortable part. Was that really respect? Or were we, through our silence, enabling something that deserved to be questioned? But watching the Uttarakhand controversy unfold, I find it curious that so much of the conversation has become about the indignity suffered by the artist, and so little about the expectations of the audience and the responsibility of those accepting substantial professional fees.”
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Sona Mohapatra says audiences deserve an honest performance
Sona acknowledged that veteran artists deserved dignity and empathy for their contributions but stressed that audiences also had a right to expect an honest performance. She said that if an artist was unwell, the situation should be handled with compassion and responsibility.
She added, “Two things can be true. A veteran deserves dignity, empathy and gratitude for a lifetime of contribution. And an audience deserves an honest performance, or at the very least, an honest acknowledgement when that is no longer possible. If someone is unwell, there must be compassion and a responsible way to handle the situation. What cannot become acceptable is for audiences and organisers to repeatedly bear the consequences while everyone around the artist looks away.”
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Sona also questioned whether the manner in which the Uttarakhand minister raised his objection should automatically invalidate the substance of the complaint. She said she could not comment on whether the minister had handled the situation appropriately, adding that it was a separate issue.
In her post, Sona said she was speaking as a fellow performing artist and acknowledged that her remarks could attract criticism. She emphasised that respect for an artist’s legacy should not exempt them from professional accountability.
She wrote, “I ask this as a fellow performing artist, fully aware that I may be criticised for saying it. Respect is not a one-way entitlement. It is a relationship of reciprocity. Age, legacy and stature deserve reverence. They do not exempt any of us from professional accountability. And those of us who remained silent that evening, myself included, need to ask whether our well-intentioned deference helped anyone at all. I share this with sadness, not malice. And with genuine respect for the extraordinary legacy of Daler Mehndi ji. But surely, we owe our audiences some respect too?”
What happened during Daler Mehndi’s performance in Uttarakhand?
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Daler was performing at the historic Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in New Tehri on Sunday when Uttarakhand Cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal interrupted him and reprimanded him over his performance. Allegations subsequently surfaced online that the singer was under the influence of alcohol and struggling to sing. These allegations have not been independently verified.
During the event, the minister questioned the singer’s ability to perform and was heard saying, “You cannot even speak, so how are you going to sing? We called you so that our people could be entertained. You are making a fool of us. This is wrong. It’s wrong. You have a big name; we should respect that. You were called because you have a big name.”
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
While Mika Singh defended his brother Daler, Uniyal later told ANI that the singer had been lip-syncing to his songs. The minister said he had told Daler that, as a prominent artist, he should do justice to his art. He also claimed that the singer had been paid ₹35 lakh for the performance and said he had expressed his resentment because Daler was not singing.
sona mohapatradaler mehndi
Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!.
Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!.
Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
See Less
{{^htLoading}}Advertisement
{{/htLoading}}
{{#usCountry}}{{/usCountry}}
