Singer Daler Mehndi recently became the centre of a controversy after a minister publicly reprimanded him during a cultural event in Uttarakhand. Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal accused the singer of being intoxicated during his performance, prompting several members of the entertainment industry to come out in his support. His brother Mika Singh, comedian Kapil Sharma, singer Palash Sen, Alisha Chinai, Harshdeep Kaur and Badshah were among those who backed him. On Wednesday, actor Anupam Kher and singer Sona Mohapatra also reacted to the incident. While Anupam criticised the way Daler was treated publicly, Sona raised questions about professional accountability and the responsibility artists have towards their audiences.Sona Mohapatra reacts to Daler Mehndi’s Uttarakhand incidentSona Mohapatra shared her views on the controversy in an Instagram post, drawing from her own experience of watching Daler perform at a Sufi music festival earlier this year.She wrote, “I have been watching the controversy surrounding Daler Mehndi ji’s performance in Uttarakhand, and feel compelled to share a personal experience. Not to disrespect a veteran, but because this raises a larger, uncomfortable question for all of us in the Performing Arts. On 28 Feb 2026, I headlined the first evening of the Sufi Heritage Festival at Delhi’s Sunder Nursery. Dalerji was the closing act the following evening, 1 March.”Also Read: Mika Singh, Alisha Chinai, Harshdeep Kaur, Badshah rally behind Daler Mehndi post ‘public humiliation’ in Uttarakhand View this post on Instagram A post shared by 퓢퓸퓷퓪 퓜퓸퓱퓪퓹퓪퓽퓻퓪 (@sonamohapatra) Recalling the performance, Sona said she and her team had stayed back specifically to watch the veteran singer, expecting a Sufi-oriented set. However, she claimed that what they witnessed was disappointing.“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 added.She further recalled, “I remember the disbelief amongst my own team. More than anything, I felt for the organisers, who had invested their resources, reputations and considerable effort into presenting a respected artist. Whether those representing him/management/family had any advance knowledge of his difficulties, I cannot say. 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?”Sona clarified that she did not know about Daler’s personal circumstances or health. She also said that publicly humiliating an artist was not the answer.Story continues below this ad“I do not know Daler ji’s personal circumstances or health, and wouldn’t presume to diagnose what we witnessed. I also believe that publicly humiliating an artist is no solution. 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. 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,” Sona said.Also Read | ‘Daler Mehndi was only lip-syncing to his songs, was paid Rs 35 lakh’: Uttarakhand ministerShe also questioned whether the way the minister raised his objection should overshadow the concerns about the performance.She said, “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. I don’t know whether the minister in Uttarakhand handled the situation appropriately. That is a separate question. But does the manner of his objection automatically invalidate the substance of the complaint? 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?”Anupam Kher supports Daler MehndiActor Anupam Kher, meanwhile, criticised the minister for addressing Daler Mehndi publicly and defended the singer against the allegation that he had been drinking.Story continues below this ad“A day or two ago I saw a video in which I was very saddened by the way a minister was talking to Daler Mehndi ji on the stage. I’ve known Dalerji for 25-30 years, and as far as I know, he doesn’t drink. He is one of the finest human beings I have met. I also know that he hasn’t been feeling well lately; we have a common doctor friend. Maybe he wasn’t able to fulfill his commitment, but that’s his professionalism; he may have lip-synced, I don’t know. I just felt bad; nobody should speak to anybody like that.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anupam Kher (@anupampkher) “It was an open forum, so it was unfair to publicly accuse him. It’s not just Mikaji’s duty to defend his brother; we as an industry should talk about this. We should take a stand. I trust Dalerji’s professionalism and greatness. May he get well soon,” Anupam said in the video.He also addressed the minister directly in the caption of his post.“Minister, you may have complaints about his performance. You may even be upset. But was it necessary to go on stage and humiliate him like this in front of everyone? The same thing could have been said to him respectfully, sitting aside.”Also Read: Palash Sen, Kapil Sharma back Daler Mehndi amid performance row: ‘Went through serious surgery’Story continues below this ad“The recognition and respect an artist earns through hard work takes a lifetime. Daler ji has brought us joy with his songs for the past thirty to thirty-five years. That contribution deserves some recognition. Daler ji, I’ve always known you to be a kind-hearted, loving person. As far as I know, you don’t even drink alcohol. I’m very sorry you had to endure all this,” he wrote.Meanwhile, in a conversation with ANI, the minister alleged that Daler had lip-synced during the performance despite being paid Rs 35 lakh for the show.He said, “He is a big artiste. If a big artiste doesn’t do justice to their art…He seemed disoriented on stage and didn’t seem to be able to even keep standing. Besides this, he was only lip-syncing to his songs. I told him that he is a big artiste and he should do justice to his art; he had been offered Rs 35 lakh to come and perform, but he was not even singing. So, I expressed my resentment.”