The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the row over the public reprimand of singer Daler Mehndi by Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal during a live performance. The letters, also sent to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, say concerns about the singer's condition should have been handled "with sensitivity and discretion rather than through public reprimand." The controversy began on Sunday night, October 18, when Uniyal walked onto the stage at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in New Tehri and accused Mehndi of performing under the influence of alcohol.
The on-stage confrontation
Mehndi, 59, was headlining the government-organised Kunjapuri fair, a Navratri-linked event in Tehri Garhwal. A video that went viral on Monday, October 19, shows Uniyal, the Narendra Nagar MLA, interrupting the performance: "Bol toh jaa nahi raha, gaana kya gaoge?" ("You cannot even speak, so how are you going to sing?"). He said a "Durga Mata programme for Navratri" made performing after drinking alcohol inappropriate, and told the singer, "You are making a fool of us." Mehndi responded with folded hands: "Sir, I request you with folded hands... please leave the stage."
Speaking to The Indian Express, Uniyal said the singer had been paid for the show plus stay and travel: "He showed up drunk and was unable to perform. Which is why I interrupted and went onto the stage." He told PTI the advance fee was about $40,000, said he used no foul language, and admitted he only believed the singer was under the influence since "a medical examination was not conducted." To ANI he added that Mehndi seemed disoriented, struggled to stand, and was lip-syncing rather than singing live.
FWICE asks the PM and CM to step in
FWICE said it was aware that Mehndi had been dealing with health-related difficulties and was recovering from a recent surgery, and stated that the singer does not consume alcohol. It called the episode the "public humiliation" of "a celebrated name," and asked the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister to advise public representatives to exercise greater sensitivity. The letter acknowledged "the importance of maintaining the proper conduct of public events," but said the minister's concerns over Mehndi's condition and whether he was singing live should have been raised privately.
Both sides defend their ground
Uniyal has stood by the intervention while rejecting parts of the backlash. He told PTI that another singer, Sunanda Sharma, had cancelled her appearance due to ill health and refunded the full amount, and argued Mehndi should have done the same if unwell.
Mehndi's brother, singer Mika Singh, demanded an apology on X on October 21: "I believe an apology is due. The person responsible should acknowledge that the allegations about Daler Mehndi ji drinking alcohol were wrong." He also asked whether the reported fee was paid in cash or by cheque, calling for the receipts to be made public.
Industry reactions has largely backed the singer. Actor Rajpal Yadav posted a video saying the minister's remarks did not suit someone in his position, adding that Mehndi "does not drink alcohol" and has been dealing with health issues; Anupam Kher, Vir Das, Badshah and Kapil Sharma also expressed support. But not every voice agrees: singer Sona Mohapatra wrote that "respect is not a one-way entitlement," and folk singer Pritam Bhartwan told ANI that on a live stage, "you must actually deliver a performance."
The allegations of intoxication and lip-syncing remain unverified by any independent medical examination, a fact acknowledged on both sides.
The takeaway
What began as a viral stage video has become a formal complaint at the highest level, with the industry body seeking the Prime Minister's attention and the minister defending his act as accountability. The core facts are still contested: whether Mehndi was unwell, unprofessional, or wronged, and whether an official should correct an artist publicly. Until an official finding emerges, that Sunday night in New Tehri remains a matter of competing claims.
Sources: ABP Live, The Indian Express, ThePrint (PTI), NDTV
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Hitman (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0