'Gaane Ke Naam Pe Muh Nahi Hilaunga': Did Abhijeet Bhattacharya Take A Dig At Daler Mehndi? Watch

A video of Abhijeet Bhattacharya speaking about Daler Mehndi's controversy has surfaced on social media and is now gaining traction.

Singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has allegedly weighed in on the controversy surrounding Daler Mehndi's recent performance in Uttarakhand, seemingly backing Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal's decision to question the singer on stage. Although Abhijeet did not mention the veteran singer by name, he referred to the incident while speaking at a recent event in Chhattisgarh. He also made it clear that he would never resort to lip-syncing during a live show, assuring audiences that he would always sing live, irrespective of his vocal condition.

Abhijeet Bhattacharya takes a jibe at Daler Mehndi

A video of Abhijeet Bhattacharya speaking about the controversy has since surfaced on social media and is now gaining traction. He can be heard saying, "Yahan pe kabhi mat allow kijiye agar koi mic mein live ke naam pe gaana nahi gaa raha hai. Abhi kuch din pehle ek case hua tha jahan pe stage pe aake mantri sahab ne kaha. Bilkul sach kaha tha unhone ki, 'Aap gaana nahi gaa rahe hain. Aapse khada nahi hua ja raha hai. Lekin woh villain ban gaye (If someone is not actually singing live into the microphone, then don't allow it. A few days ago, there was an incident where a minister came onto the stage and spoke the truth. He said, 'You are not singing. You can barely stand, and you are not really performing live.' He spoke the truth. But he ended up becoming the villain in the eyes of many people. Yet this is something that happens on stages everywhere)."

Taking an apparent dig at Daler Mehndi, Abhijeet assured the audience that he would never resort to lip-syncing, regardless of his vocal condition. He said, "Main jaisa bhi gaaunga, kharab gaaunga, galat gaaunga, gala kharab rahega, thak jaaunga, besura gaaunga, lekin jo bhi gaaunga, live gaaunga (No matter how I sing, whether I sing badly, whether my voice is strained, whether I get tired, or whether I sing off-key, whatever I do, I will sing live)."

Abhijeet further stressed that audiences invest their time and hard-earned money to attend live performances and deserve to hear singers perform without any gimmicks. He also highlighted the efforts of several people working behind the scenes to ensure a smooth concert experience, from managing the event to handling the crowd. Assuring his fans that he would never mislead them, the singer said, "Aap logon ka maan karta hoon. Main aap logon ko kabhi is tarah se cheat nahi karunga. Gaane ke naam pe muh nahi hilaunga. Aisa karte hain log (That is the respect I owe you for giving me your time. You have spent your hard-earned money, invited me here, and made all these arrangements. Behind this event lies the hard work of the administration, the department and all of you. I bow to all of you and promise that I will never cheat you in this way. I will never simply move my lips in the name of singing. Some people do that, but I won't)."

The controversy surrounding Daler Mehndi erupted in October 2026 when Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal interrupted the singer during his performance. The minister questioned his ability to sing and alleged that he appeared intoxicated and was lip-syncing instead of performing live. Uniyal later claimed that Daler had been paid ₹35 lakh for the performance and said the singer had failed to do justice to his art. The incident triggered widespread criticism, with several celebrities, including Mika Singh, Anupam Kher and Badshah, coming out in support of Daler. Mika maintained that his brother did not consume alcohol and revealed that he had recently undergone major surgery and was unwell.