'Selfish, Shameless, Classless': Shilpa Rao's Husband Slams Organisers After Singer's Mic Cut Off Mid-Performance
National Award-winning playback singer Shilpa Rao’s performance at the Bollywood Music Project (BMP) in Mumbai took an unexpected turn on Saturday night when her microphone was abruptly switched off mid-song, denying her a proper sign-off. The sudden interruption sparked significant outrage among fans and attendees, prompting a scathing response from her husband, Ritesh Krishnan.
Ritesh called the treatment meted out to her "disrespectful" and "classless".
'Selfish, Petty, Shameless And Utterly Classless'
Taking to Instagram following the concert, Ritesh Krishnan expressed his anger and disappointment over watching his wife being handled on stage without basic professional courtesy.
"I felt angry. I felt disappointed. I felt helpless!! And more than anything, it hurt to see someone I love and admire so deeply being put through this. People know Shilpa Rao as the voice behind some of the most beautiful songs," he wrote.
He continued, "But I know the woman behind that voice. I know how much her audience and her fans mean to her, and to stand there last night, watching my wife being treated with such disrespect, was something I will never forget!"
Calling out the event management directly, Krishnan added, "BMP, your PR team is working overtime to convince Mumbai it did not see what it saw. Cute! And above all, denying a fellow artist just two minutes to say goodbye to her audience was selfish, petty, shameless and utterly classless!! To everyone who stood by her, THANK YOU. Shilpa, I am incredibly proud of you my love. Mumbai, we will be back. Your love deserves a beautiful ending. And we owe you that."
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How The Incident Unfolded On Stage
Shilpa Rao was one of the headlining performers celebrating BMP’s 10th anniversary in Mumbai. Her set faced technical hurdles right from the start, with the initial microphone malfunctioning before being replaced.
The situation escalated while she was performing the chartbuster track Chuttamalle from Devara: Part 1. Mid-performance, the singer’s microphone was abruptly cut off, leaving her surprised.
Moments later, singer Kutle Khan and his band, The Kutle Khan Project, began performing on an adjacent section of the stage while Rao was still present. When she attempted to address the audience and thank them for their patience, her microphone was turned off a second time, leaving her unable to formally conclude her set.
Shilpa Rao's Heartfelt Note To Fans
Following the incident, Shilpa addressed the Mumbai crowd on social media, expressing gratitude to the audience who continued to chant her name even after the audio was cut.
"Mumbai, a little 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 did not. The way you kept calling my name, the love in your voices. I could feel it all. Our story tonight was left unfinished. I promise, I will come back. I love you, Mumbai. Forever and ever," she shared.
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Organisers Issue Midnight Apology
As criticism mounted on social media, Bollywood Music Project issued a formal statement shortly after midnight on October 25, expressing regret over the premature end to her set while citing strict venue curfews and operational delays. "We deeply apologise. At BMP, our mission is always to deliver an unparalleled live music experience for both our artists and their fans. We want to address the abrupt conclusion of Shilpa Rao's performance at this weekend's festival. First and foremost, we hold Shilpa Rao in the highest regard," the statement read.
Attributing the disruption to cascading schedule delays, the organisers explained, "Large-scale music festivals feature complex logistics and multi-artist lineups. Despite strict planning and coordination, live events can experience unpredictable operational shifts, including extended sets from earlier performances. Because our festivals operate under strict local authority guidelines and venue curfew regulations, these compounding delays unfortunately forced a premature end to her set."
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