Filmmaker Sulagna Chatterjee has criticised the organisers of the Bollywood Music Project after singer Shilpa Rao’s performance was abruptly interrupted at the Mumbai festival on October 24. Recalling the incident in an interview with Mid-Day, Chatterjee said Rao’s microphone stopped working during her set, before the lights were dimmed and another act began performing while she was still on stage. The incident sparked criticism from attendees, while Rao later described herself as heartbroken and the organisers apologised, citing scheduling delays and venue curfew rules.
Sulagna Chatterjee recalls Shilpa Rao’s performance being cut short
According to Chatterjee, the festival was already running behind schedule when Rao took the stage at around 8.30 pm. The singer reportedly encountered technical issues early in her performance but continued with her set.“She came on stage around 8.30 pm. She started singing ‘Tose Naina Lage’, but her microphone stopped working. Despite the technical glitches, she was so graceful about it. She eventually sang four songs, including ‘Khuda Jaane’ and ‘Kalank’,” Chatterjee told the afore mentioned publication.The situation escalated while Rao was performing Chuttamalle. Chatterjee recalled that the lights suddenly went off as Kutle Khan began performing on another stage.“Suddenly, the lights went down and Kutle Khan started his performance on the other stage. Shilpa was standing there in the dark,” she said.Chatterjee added that Rao returned to address the audience after Khan’s first song, hoping to say goodbye before leaving the stage. However, she was interrupted again when the next performance began.“She said she didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye. But right in the middle of her farewell, Kutle Khan started singing again. The audience was cheering for Shilpa, and it was heartbreaking to watch her being cut off like that,” Chatterjee recalled.
Sulagna Chatterjee questions why Himesh Reshammiya was allowed to continue
Chatterjee also questioned the organisers’ handling of the schedule, pointing out that Himesh Reshammiya was allowed to continue his performance despite the festival running late.“At 10 pm, [the organisers] tried cutting off his microphone too, but Himesh said he had medleys left to sing. He was allowed to continue. Why was Shilpa not given the same consideration?” she asked.Her account has added to the criticism surrounding the incident, with concertgoers expressing disappointment over the way Rao’s set and farewell were handled. The afore mentioned publication has reported that it reached out to Rao for comment but had not received a response at the time of publishing.
Shilpa Rao says she is ‘heartbroken’ after the interruption
Meanwhile, Rao had addressed the incident in an Instagram post, expressing disappointment at being unable to complete her performance. She also thanked the Mumbai audience for continuing to cheer for her even after the music stopped.“Mumbai, a little piece of my heart broke tonight. It hurts deeply to have something so beautiful taken away from us like this,” the singer wrote.She added that the audience’s support had stayed with her despite the abrupt interruption.“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,” Rao wrote.The singer’s message resonated with fans, many of whom voiced their disappointment over the disruption and the fact that she was unable to finish addressing the crowd.
Bollywood Music Project organisers apologise, cite scheduling delays
Following the backlash, the Bollywood Music Project organisers issued a statement apologising for the abrupt conclusion of Rao’s set. They said they held the singer in high regard and regretted that her performance could not be presented in its entirety.“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. We deeply value and respect her incredible legacy, her unparalleled artistry, and the profound impact she continues to make on the music industry. It was an absolute honour to have her on our lineup,” the statement read.Explaining the circumstances, the organisers said that multi-artist festivals can experience scheduling changes when earlier performances run longer than planned. They added that local authority guidelines and venue curfew regulations had limited their options as delays accumulated.“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. While these circumstances were entirely out of our control, we deeply regret that we could not showcase her performance in its entirety,” the organisers said.
Bollywood Music Project featured Himesh Reshammiya, Hariharan and other performers
The October 24 edition of the Bollywood Music Project featured performances by several artists, including Himesh Reshammiya, Hariharan, Euphoria, Anu Malik and Shahid Mallya, alongside Rao and Kutle Khan.