- Usha Uthup denied claims she sang "Didi" after TMC's election defeat in West Bengal
- She confirmed the circulating video is old and was likely recorded during Covid
- Usha stated she never left Kolkata and has lived there for the past 57 years
Veteran singer Usha Uthup reacted to a viral thread that claimed she had recently sung her 25-year-old iconic hit Didi, inspired by Algerian singer Khaled's hit of the same name, after Mamata Banerjee's party, Trinamool Congress, was defeated in the West Bengal Assembly Election earlier this month.
The viral thread also claimed that Usha Uthup had moved to Mumbai during the TMC regime, as "cut money was allegedly demanded from her" by the former Bengal government.
Dismissing all the claims, Usha Uthup said the video in circulation is old. She also clarified that she never left Kolkata and moved to Mumbai.
Usha Uthup shared an announcement post on Instagram. It read: "Dear friends and music lovers... There has been a post on Twitter and WhatsApp that has been going around, to which I just want to say: Please do not unnecessarily embroil me in controversies that I have nothing to do with. 1. I have been singing the song in question for more than 25 years. 2. I have never left Kolkata and moved to Mumbai. I am very much here."
In the caption of the post, she further clarified her stance: "There has been a post circulating on Twitter, Insta and WhatsApp regarding me, and I would like to clarify that several statements made in that post are incorrect and misleading.
"The song in question is a Bengali song, composed many years ago and inspired by an Arabic tune. I have been performing it for over two decades purely as a musical rendition.
"I should like to clarify that I have lived in Kolkata since 1976 and never left Kolkata since then and moved to Mumbai. Kolkata has always been my home, and I continue to live and work here with immense love for the city and its people.
"The interpretations, comments, and narratives being circulated in that post are entirely not mine, and I do not associate myself with or take any onus for them in any manner.
"Please do not unnecessarily embroil me in controversies that I have absolutely nothing to do with."
What the Viral Thread Claimed
Sharing a video of Usha Uthup crooning the song Didi on stage, an X user wrote: "In celebration of Didi leaving Bengal, Usha Uthup had fun by singing 'Didi Go.' It should be remembered that during the TMC regime, cut money was allegedly demanded from her for her performances, due to which she became troubled and moved to Mumbai. Now she has returned."
The video in circulation is an old one, as Usha shared a collab post featuring the video on her feed. It clarifies that the video must be a few years old and was probably captured during Covid, as Usha's face mask is visible in it.
"USHA UTHUP STRONGLY REFUTES THIS FAKE POST THAT HAS BEEN DOING THE ROUNDS: in her own words - 'Prasad please say this is all rubbish and fake news. I sang this song 25 years ago and it's been my biggest hit in Bangla. This is some old video as you can see... I never left Calcutta, lived in Calcutta for the past 57 years. 😢 Please say it's fake news. You can see the Covid mask around my neck as well. This is the fake post,'" the caption of the video read.
About 'Didi'
Inspired by the original composition by Algerian singer and musician Khaled, Usha Uthup lent her legendary voice to this rendition of Didi, celebrating the spirit of Kolkata, the City of Joy.
The iconic Didi has been reprised in different languages over the years, with the most recent one in Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar: The Revenge.
About Bengal's Political Shift
In the 2026 Assembly Election, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee in her home turf of Bhowanipore by 15,000 votes. BJP came to power with a thumping victory, winning 207 seats out of 294 constituencies. After ending the 15-year regime of Trinamool Congress, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the first Chief Minister from the saffron party on May 9.