Shilpa Rao is heartbroken at being cut off, rushed off stage at Bollywood Music Project show; organisers blame curfew regulations for chaos

Shilpa Rao's performance at the Bollywood Music Project in Mumbai on Saturday was cut midway even as the singer tried to speak with the audience.

What should have been a treat for music lovers in Mumbai turned out to be a chaotic affair with singer Shilpa Rao being rushed off stage in the middle of her performance at the Bollywood Music Project festival on Saturday. The singer has since released a statement saying she is heartbroken at what happened. The organisers later issued an apology but blamed delays and curfew guidelines for the fiasco.

Shilpa Rao's performance at the Bollywood Music Project in Mumbai was cut midway.

Shilpa Rao reacts to chaos at Bollywood Music Project

The Bollywood Music Project music festival was held on Saturday with acts like Shilpa, Himesh Reshammiya and several others lined up. As Shilpa was performing, her performance faced delays and her mic was cut off midway during the set, shocking many attendees. The singer tried to thank the fans for their patience but even her speech was cut short, with the next act beginning even as the singer was on stage, trying to speak with the fans.

Later on Saturday night, Shilpa took to social media to share her side of the story. “Mumbai, a little piece of my heart broke tonight. It hurts deeply to have something so beautiful taken away from us like this,” the singer wrote in a note on Instagram. Thanking the fans, Shilpa promised to return.

Deep Dive

Why was Shilpa Rao’s performance cut short at the Bollywood Music Project?

What happened when Shilpa Rao was performing at the Bollywood Music Project?

How did Shilpa Rao and the organisers respond to the abrupt ending?

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“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,” the singer added.

The organisers issue an apology

As the organisers came under heavy criticism for how they handled the delays on Saturday, they issued a statement late on Saturday night, apologising for what happened during Shilpa’s set. “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,” read the statement shared on their official Instagram account.

The BMP then explained what led to the delays and why they chose to deal with it in the manner they did. “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. 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,” read the statement.

The organisers ended the note with an apology to Shilpa and her team: “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.”

About the Bollywood Music Project

The Bollywood Music Project was held at Mumbai’s Jio World Gardens on Saturday. Headlined by Himesh Reshammiya, the evening also included other big musical names such as Hariharan, Euphoria, Anu Malik, Shahid Mallya, apart from Shilpa.