Kutle Khan has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding Shilpa Rao's performance at the Bollywood Music Project (BMP) in Mumbai on October 24.
The singer, who faced criticism after his set began while Shilpa was trying to address the audience, has now shared his side of the story in a video on Instagram.
Clarifying that the incident was not his doing, Kutle said all the artists had been given fixed time slots and that he had followed the instructions of the festival organisers.
"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.
Shilpa's performance was abruptly cut short when her microphone and the stage lights were switched off.
At the same time, Kutle, who was scheduled to sperform on an adjacent stage, began his set, drowning out her closing remarks.
The incident triggered backlash against the organisers, with many expressing disappointment over the way the singer was treated.
Addressing the microphone and lighting issue, Kutle said he had no knowledge of how it happened and maintained that it was not his team's responsibility.
"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 said.
The singer also explained that his own performance time had been reduced at the last minute. According to him, his original 20-minute slot was cut down to just eight minutes.
"Another thing is that a 20-minute set was cut short, and I was told that my set would only be eight minutes long. I said there was no problem because I had to follow the instructions of the festival organisers. So I started my show with the allotted eight-minute set," he added.
Kutle further explained what happened when Shilpa tried to address the crowd while he was performing. He said he paused his set to allow her to speak and thank the audience.
"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 said.
However, he claimed that he could hear someone instructing him to resume his performance 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 explained.
Kutle also expressed disappointment over the trolling he has faced since the incident. He said Shilpa was a close friend and someone he regarded as a sister, and urged people not to direct negativity towards him.
"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. Thank you so much," he said.
What Did Shilpa Rao Say About The Incident?
While admitting that the experience had left her hurt, she thanked the Mumbai audience for continuing to cheer for her even after the music stopped.
"Mumbai, a 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 didn't," she wrote.
"The way you kept calling my name, the love in your voices, I could feel it all. I promise I will come back to Mumbai," she added.
BMP Organisers Blame Scheduling Delays
The Bollywood Music Project organisers apologised for the way Shilpa Rao's set ended. In their statement, they said they held the singer in high regard and regretted that her performance could not be completed as planned.
"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," the statement read.
The organisers also praised Shilpa Rao's contribution to music, describing her presence at the festival as an honour.
"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 added.
Explaining why the set had ended early, the organisers pointed to delays caused by earlier performances and the restrictions that come with hosting a large-scale music festival. They said extended sets had affected the schedule, while local authority rules and venue curfews limited the time available.
"Large-scale music festivals feature complex logistics and multi-artist lineups. Despite strict planning and coordination. Because our festivals operate under strict local authority guidelines and venue curfew regulations, these compounding delays unfortunately forced a premature end to her set."
The organisers maintained that the delays were beyond their control but acknowledged the disappointment caused by the shortened performance.
The festival also featured performances by Himesh Reshammiya, Hariharan, Euphoria, Anu Malik and Shahid Mallya.
ALSO READ: Shilpa Rao's Husband Ritesh Krishnan Slams Organisers After Singer's Performance Was Cut Short
