Kutle Khan responds to criticism over Shilpa Rao’s interrupted set at Bollywood Music Project, says organisers instructed him to resume performance

Shilpa Rao’s performance at the Bollywood Music Project 2026 in Mumbai was disrupted by sound issues and then microphone being cut off mid performance.

Singer Kutle Khan has responded to the backlash over Shilpa Rao’s interrupted performance at the Bollywood Music Project 2026 in Mumbai, denying that he or his team had anything to do with it. The incident on October 24 drew criticism after Shilpa's microphone and stage lights were switched off while she was thanking the audience, even as Kulte's band began playing on the second stage.

Kutle Khan says his set was reduced to 8 minutes before addressing what happened during Shilpa Rao’s performance at Bollywood Music Project 2026.

In a video shared on Instagram on Tuesday, the singer explained his side of the story, saying he was following the organisers’ instructions and had no idea why Shilpa's performance was cut short. He also revealed that his own stage time had been reduced at the last minute,.

Kutle Khan speaks up about the BMP incident

Kutle Khan said the performers had been assigned fixed slots and were expected to stick to the schedule. “I would like to share my perspective on what actually happened there. All the respected artists who had come to perform had fixed time slots, and Shilpa’s timing was also fixed,” he said in his video.

He maintained that he had no control over the technical arrangements that led to Shilpa being silenced. “During the performance, her microphone and the lights were switched off. I don’t know how that happened, and it should not have happened at all. It certainly did not happen from our side. Either the festival organisers or their engineers would know what went wrong,” he stated.

He also shared that his own performance had been affected by a last-minute change. He said he had originally been given 20 minutes on stage, but was later told that he would have to finish within eight minutes. He chose not to challenge the decision. “I said there was no problem because I had to follow the instructions of the festival organisers,” he explained.

He says he stopped performing while Shilpa Rao addressed the audience

Kutle Khan also described what happened when Shilpa came back on stage and tried to thank the crowd from the main stage. He said he paused his own performance so she could speak, insisting that he had not deliberately tried to drown out her remarks. “In the middle of my performance, Shilpa said from the other stage, ‘Mr. Kutle, you are singing well. I would like to thank the audience.’ I paused my set to let her speak. While she was thanking the audience, I stopped performing,” he recounted.

According to the singer, he resumed only after receiving instructions through his in-ear monitor. “I could hear through my in-ear monitor someone telling me, ‘Mr. Kutle, start, start.’ So I resumed my performance,” he added.

The singer was also unhappy about being targeted on social media over an incident he says was beyond his control. He stressed that he shares a close bond with Shilpa and did not want the controversy to turn into a personal issue between them. “Shilpa is a very good friend of mine, like a sister. The trolling and negativity being spread on social media right now are very unfortunate. It should not be happening. That’s all I wanted to clarify,” he said.

BMP organisers apologise

Shilpa Rao performed at BMP’s 10th-anniversary celebrations, but her set was marred by sound issues and delays. After her first microphone malfunctioned, she waited for a replacement, which also developed problems. Later, while singing Chuttamalle from Devara: Part 1, her microphone was switched off, leaving her visibly surprised. The situation grew more awkward when Kutle Khan and his band, The Kutle Khan Project, began performing on the other side of the stage while she was still there.

The singer later shared her disappointment on Instagram. The National Film Award winner wrote, “Mumbai, a little piece of my heart broke tonight. It hurts deeply to have something so beautiful taken away from us like this. But even when the music stopped, you did not.”

The organisers apologised for the disruption, citing “unpredictable operational shifts” and curfew restrictions. Their statement read, “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.”

They further explained, "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.”

Blaming delays and venue restrictions for the shortened set, the organisers added, “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.”

They ended by apologising to Rao, her team and the audience. "We extend our sincerest apologies to Shilpa Rao, her team and most importantly, to her dedicated fans who came out to support her. We share in your disappointment and appreciate your understanding as we navigate the strict operational realities of live festival production,” they wrote.

About Shilpa Rao

Shilpa Rao made her playback singing debut in 2007 with Tose Naina from Anwar, composed by Mithoon. She gained wider recognition with Khuda Jaane from Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) and went on to deliver popular songs such as Ghungroo from War, Bulleya from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Chaleya from Jawan. She won a National Film Award for Chaleya, further cementing her place among Hindi cinema’s leading playback singers.