Shilpa Rao’s performance cut off midway

Singer Shilpa Rao, the voice behind tracks such as Chaleya, Tere Hawaale and Besharam Rang, shared a note on social media, saying she was “deeply hurt” after her performance was abruptly cut short and her microphone was switched off. Rao performed in Mumbai on Saturday at the 10th-anniversary edition of the Bollywood Music Project. As she tried to thank the audience from the stage, Kutle Khan began another performance. However, the audience continued to call Rao’s name. 

The 42-year-old singer shared a post on her Instagram handle on Saturday, thanking her fans for their support. “Mumbai, a piece of my heart broke tonight. It hurts deeply to have something so beautiful taken away from us like this. But even when the music stopped you didn’t. The way you kept calling my name, the love in your voices, I could feel it all. I promise I will come back to Mumbai,” she wrote.

AICWA comes in support of singer

The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) released a statement addressing the abrupt interruption of Shilpa Rao’s performance during her concert, calling it “completely unacceptable”. AICWA shared a statement on its official X handle on Sunday, saying Rao is a National Award-winning singer and one of the most respected voices in Indian music. “The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) strongly condemns the treatment of National Award-winning singer Shilpa Rao during her live performance at the 10th edition of the Bollywood Music Project (BMP) in Mumbai on 24 October 2026.”