Shilpa Rao’s husband Ritesh Krishnan calls her treatment at Bollywood Music Project 2026 disrespectful after mic cut off mid-performance

The singer’s microphone was switched off before she could finish her set, leaving her without a proper chance to thank the audience and sign off.

Singer Shilpa Rao’s husband, Ritesh Krishnan, has expressed his anger and disappointment after her performance at the Bollywood Music Project (BMP) in Mumbai was cut short on Saturday, October 24. The singer’s microphone was switched off before she could finish her set, leaving her without a proper chance to thank the audience and sign off. Reacting to the incident, Ritesh said it was painful to watch his wife being treated that way, especially knowing how much her fans mean to her. The incident has since drawn criticism from concertgoers, with many questioning the organisers’ explanation for this behaviour.

Shilpa Rao’s performance cut short at BMP 2026 sparks outrage; husband Ritesh Krishnan says it was painful to watch.

Shilpa Rao’s husband Ritesh Krishnan reacts

In a post shared on Instagram, Ritesh, who is aphotographer, visual artist, and live show/concert designer, spoke about his emotions after watching Shilpa’s performance come to an abrupt end. He said that while audiences know her for her voice and songs, he also understands the person behind the music and the importance of her connection with her fans.

“I felt angry. I felt disappointed. I felt helpless!! And more than anything, it hurt to see someone I love and admire so deeply being put through this. People know Shilpa Rao as the voice behind some of the most beautiful songs,” he wrote.

“But I know the woman behind that voice. I know how much her audience and her fans mean to her, and to stand there last night, watching my wife being treated with such disrespect, was something I will never forget!,” he added.

He went onto add, "BMP, your PR team is working overtime to convince Mumbai it did not see what it saw. Cute! And above all, denying a fellow artist just two minutes to say goodbye to her audience was selfish, petty, shameless and utterly classless!! To everyone who stood by her, THANK YOU. Shilpa, I am incredibly proud of you my love Mumbai, we will be back. Your love deserves a beautiful ending. And we owe you that."

Shilpa Rao thanks fans after her performance is cut short

Shilpa was among the performers at BMP’s 10th anniversary celebrations in Mumbai. Her set faced technical difficulties from the beginning, with her first microphone malfunctioning before a replacement was arranged. However, the second microphone also developed problems. After performing a few songs, Shilpa was singing Chuttamalle from Devara: Part 1 when her microphone was switched off. She appeared surprised by the interruption. The situation became more uncomfortable when singer Kutle Khan and his band, The Kutle Khan Project, began performing on another section of the stage while Shilpa was still present.

When she returned to address the audience and thank them for their patience, her microphone was switched off again. She was left without a proper opportunity to conclude her set, prompting several fans to express their disappointment over the way the situation was handled.

Later, Shilpa shared an emotional message on social media, thanking 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. 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. Shilpa,” she wrote on Instagram.

BMP apologises to Shilpa Rao and her fans

Following the backlash, the Bollywood Music Project issued a statement on Instagram shortly after midnight on October 25, apologising to Shilpa, her team and the audience. The organisers said they held the singer in high regard and regretted that she had been unable to complete her performance.

"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.

The organisers said that managing a festival with multiple performers could become challenging when earlier acts ran beyond their allotted time, affecting the rest of the schedule. They added, "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.”

They added that venue restrictions and local authority guidelines had left them unable to accommodate the accumulated delays, resulting in Shilpa’s set being cut short: “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 statement ended with another apology to the singer and those who had attended the festival to watch her perform: "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 concluded.

About Shilpa Rao

Shilpa Rao made her playback singing debut in 2007 with Tose Naina from Anwar, composed by Mithoon. She rose to wider recognition with Khuda Jaane from Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) and went on to sing popular tracks such as Ghungroo from War, Bulleya from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Chaleya from Jawan. Her work has earned her widespread acclaim, including a National Film Award for Chaleya.