A moment during the Bollywood Music Project 2026 has triggered debate among music fans after Shilpa Rao’s set was interruptedKutle Khan has now shared his account of what happened and why he returned to the stage.
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Kutle Khan reacts to Shilpa Rao’s interrupted performance (PC: Twitter)
The Bollywood Music Project 2026 was expected to be a celebration of music, but an interruption during Shilpa Rao’s performance in Mumbai left fans disappointed and sparked criticism onlineThe singer’s microphone and stage lights were switched off while she was addressing the audience, even as Kutle Khan and his band began performing on another stageThe incident, which took place on October 24, soon became a topic of discussion on social mediaKutle has now shared his version of events, explaining why he resumed singing and denying that he or his team was responsible for the disruption.
Kutle Khan says he followed the organisers’ instructions
In a video shared on Instagram on Tuesday, Kutle explained that all performers at the festival had been assigned specific time slotsHe said Shilpa’s performance was also scheduled for a fixed duration and that he had no control over the technical arrangements.
“During the performance, her microphone and the lights were switched offI don’t know how that happened, and it should not have happened at allIt certainly did not happen from our sideEither the festival organisers or their engineers would know what went wrong,” he said.
Kutle also revealed that his own performance time had been cut at the last minuteHe was initially allotted 20 minutes on stage but was later told to complete his set in just eight minutesHe said he accepted the change because performers were expected to follow the organisers’ instructions.
‘I paused my set’: Kutle explains why he resumed singing
Kutle also addressed criticism that he continued performing while Shilpa was trying to thank the audienceAccording to him, he paused his set when she addressed him from the other stage.
“In the middle of my performance, Shilpa said from the other stage, ‘MrKutle, you are singing wellI would like to thank the audience.’ I paused my set to let her speakWhile she was thanking the audience, I stopped performing,” he said.
The singer added that he resumed only after hearing instructions through his in-ear monitor“I could hear through my in-ear monitor someone telling me, ‘MrKutle, start, start.’ So I resumed my performance,” he explained.
Kutle expressed disappointment over the online trolling and said he shared a close bond with Shilpa“Shilpa is a very good friend of mine, like a sisterThe trolling and negativity being spread on social media right now are very unfortunateIt should not be happeningThat’s all I wanted to clarify,” he said.
See complete viral statement of Kutle Khan here
What happened during Shilpa Rao’s performance?
Shilpa performed at the festival’s 10th-anniversary celebrations, but her set was affected by sound problems and delaysHer first microphone malfunctioned and the replacement reportedly developed issues as wellLater, while she was performing Chuttamalle from Devara: Part 1, her microphone was switched off, leaving her visibly surprised.
Shilpa later expressed her disappointment on Instagram, writing, “Mumbai, a little piece of my heart broke tonightIt hurts deeply to have something so beautiful taken away from us like thisBut even when the music stopped, you did not.”
Shilpa Rao insulted! Her performance at the #BollywoodMusicProject in Mumbai was abruptly cut short with her mic & audio switched off mid-speech as Kutle Khan took the stage.
Following fan outrage over the incident, the organisers apologised citing venue curfew restrictionshttps://t.co/w0e6wYmm8P
— DrAbhinaba Pal (@drabhinabapal7) October 25, 2026
Bollywood Music Project organisers apologise
The festival organisers issued an apology for the abrupt end to Shilpa’s performanceThey said the event had faced “unpredictable operational shifts” and delays caused by extended performances earlier in the schedule.
The organisers also cited strict venue curfew regulations and local authority guidelines, saying the delays forced them to end Shilpa’s set prematurelyThey expressed regret to the singer, her team and the audience, while reiterating their respect for her work.
