Mumbai: Famous Bollywood singer Udit Narayan has come under fire after a video surfaced online showing him kissing a female fan on the lips during a concert.
The clip, which went viral on social media, also featured him kissing other women on the cheek as they took selfies with him. Many social media users criticised the singer, particularly for the non-consensual kiss, calling it inappropriate and beyond acceptable boundaries.
Following the backlash, old videos resurfaced showing Udit kissing singers Alka Yagnik and Shreya Ghoshal at various events.
In one clip, Alka appeared visibly uncomfortable after being kissed on the cheek during an Indian Idol appearance. Another video showed Shreya Ghoshal reacting with surprise when Udit kissed her while handing her an award.
In response to the criticism, Udit downplayed the issue, telling Hindustan Times, “Fans itne deewane hote hain na. Hum log aise nahi hain, hum decent log hain” (Fans can be so crazy. We’re not like that, we’re decent people). He insisted that the act was a display of affection and should not be given undue attention. “Udaake kya karna hai ab iss cheez ko?” (What’s the point of blowing this up now?)
Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, he defended himself further, saying, “Have I (ever) done anything to bring shame to myself, my family or my country?” When the interviewer responded, “you haven’t,” Udit continued, “Then why would I do something now at this stage of my life when I have achieved it all? There is a deep pure and unbreakable bond between my fans and I. What you saw in the so-called scandalous video was a manifestation of the love between my fans and I. They love me. I love them back even more.”
Dismissing any embarrassment over the viral video, he said, “Yeh sab deewangi hoti hai. Uspe itna dhyaan nahi dena chahiye” (This is all just obsession. You shouldn’t pay so much attention to it). He also questioned why the video had surfaced months after the concert. “The harder you try to pull me down, the higher I will go.”
The incident drew major criticism on social media platforms. One user on X commented, “This is beyond unacceptable. Udit Narayan’s behaviour is disgraceful.”
Another user wrote, “Such actions are not justifiable under the guise of fan affection. Consent matters.” One user in a humours way wrote, “U-did-it”.
However, not everyone is criticising the singer, one X user Sann said, “Everyone is trolling and criticising Udit Narayan, which is fair, but no one is questioning the lady who kissed him first. That’s how our morally corrupt, hypocritical society works.”
Another user, Aishaa, sought action against the singer, stating: “Udit Narayan has done something very wrong. I had a lot of respect for him, but forcibly kissing a girl is a crime. A harassment case should be filed against him.”
