'Struggled To Hold A Note..', Sona Mohapatra Shares Watching Daler Mehndi 'Disoriented' At An Event
Sona Mohapatra addressed Daler Mehndi's controversy and revealed seeing the veteran singer 'disoriented'.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleReputed Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi is at the centre of a controversy after he was called out for his recent performance. In a widely circulated video, Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal was seen accusing the popular singer of being inebriated during a cultural performance. He accused Mehndi of taking Rs. 35 lakhs and showing up at the event in a ‘drunk’ state.
Sona Mohapatra recalled watching Daler Mehndi in a ‘disoriented’ state
Amid the controversy surrounding Daler Mehndi, singer Sona Mohapatra spoke about a singer’s professional responsibility to their audience, who pay to watch them. On her IG stories, Sona shared a disturbing experience with the Punjabi singer at the second edition of the Sufi Heritage Festival in Delhi.
Sharing her personal experience, Sona said that on February 28, 2026, she headlined the first evening of the Sufi Heritage Festival, and Daler Mehndi had a closing act on March 1, 2026. She and her team stayed back to watch the legend perform at the Sufi night but were heartbroken.
Sona recalled watching Daler Mehndi ‘disoriented’, which disappointed the whole production team. Sona said the audience, who came with high expectations after paying a lot of money, gradually left the venue. She revealed that none of her team members said anything and stood there saddened. Speaking about Mehndi’s condition, the singer shared:
“From where we watched, Daler ji appeared disoriented, struggled to hold a note, and kept repeating the same musical phrase. 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?”
Going further in her note, Sona shared that though artists deserve respect and empathy, so does the audience, who pay a huge amount of money to witness their performance. She also said that if an artist is unwell, the audience deserves an honest acknowledgement. The singer also questioned whether criticism of the Uttarakhand minister's behaviour overshadowed concerns about the performance itself.
Daler Mehndi’s brother, Mika Singh defended him
Soon after Daler Mehndi’s controversy, his brother, Mika Singh, took to Instagram and shared a video message defending the 59-year-old singer. Mika called out people bashing Mehndi on social media without even knowing the exact story. Not just this, Mika also challenged the accusers and said, “If you ever see Daler Mehndi drinking alcohol, I'll quit singing." Soon after Mika’s video, Mehndi expressed his gratitude towards him.
As the fiasco made headlines, Kapil Sharma shared his thoughts on the matter. He not only supported the Punjabi singer but also revealed the whole story. Sharing a video of Daler's brother and singer Mika Singh on his IG stories, Kapil revealed that Mehndi wasn’t well.
Kapil revealed that Mehndi had a serious surgery, which might be the reason behind his slurred speech on stage. Kapil urged people to be sensitive towards the veteran singer and penned:
“@thedalermehndiofficial paji went through some serious surgery which people don’t know. All we need is to be a little kinder towards each other. We don’t know what someone is going through. Thank you @mikasingh paji for the clarification. May God bless Daler paji. We love you, Daler paji."
What do you think about Sona Mohapatra’s revelation about Daler Mehndi?
Also Read: 'Finance with Harish' Creator Dies By Suicide At 27, Police Book Tech CEO For Alleged Abetment
