Singer Shilpa Rao’s performance at the 10th-anniversary edition of the Bollywood Music Project (BMP) in Mumbai ended abruptly on Saturday after her microphone was switched off before she could finish her set. Expressing her disappointment on Instagram, she wrote, “Mumbai, a little piece of my heart broke tonight.
She added that despite the music stopping, the audience continued cheering for her, calling the moment an “unfinished” story and promising to return to the city.
Sharma claimed the festival team had allotted artistes 15-20 minutes each, but Khan was given only 10 minutes. The situation became more contentious when singer Kutle Khan began performing on another stage while Rao was still addressing her audience after her microphone was cut off. However, Khan’s manager, Sharad Sharma, offered a different account of the incident to News18, alleging that Rao interrupted Khan’s performance after finishing her own set. He alleged that Rao returned to address the audience while Khan was performing, prompting him to stop his set. Such behaviour towards an artist will never be tolerated.
In a statement, the association said, “AICWA condemns, in the harshest terms, the humiliation the Bollywood Music Project inflicted on National Award-winning singer Shilpa Rao while she was performing live on stage. It also said it would support her through every legal avenue. On Sunday, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) condemned the incident, calling it the humiliation of a National Award-winning singer.
“We deeply apologise. We want to address the abrupt conclusion of Shilpa Rao’s performance at this weekend’s festival. Large-scale music festivals feature complex logistics and multi-artist lineups. The incident upset fans, particularly as singer Kutle Khan and his band began performing on another stage while Shilpa was still on stage. Her set was affected by technical problems from the beginning. After the first microphone malfunctioned, she waited for a replacement, only to face similar issues with the second one. The interruption left her visibly surprised. The situation became more awkward when singer-songwriter Kutle Khan and his band, The Kutle Khan Project, began their performance on the second side of the stage while Shilpa was still there. Shilpa was left without a proper opportunity to wrap up her set, prompting an outpouring of support from fans who felt the singer had been treated unfairly.
Earlier reporting noted: Himesh Reshammiya sings past curfew, Shilpa Rao’s mic cut off mid-performance: All the drama at Bollywood Music Project 2026 Singer Shilpa Rao ’s performance at the 10th-anniversary edition of the Bollywood Music Project (BMP) in Mumbai ended abruptly on Saturday, October 24, after her microphone was switched off before she could finish her set. But that was not all the drama at BMP as headliner Himesh Reshammiya continued performing beyond the 10 pm curfew. After performing a few of her songs, Shilpa was performing Chuttamalle from Devara: Part 1 when her microphone was switched off for the first time.
Meanwhile, the BMP team apologised to Rao on Instagram, attributing the premature end of her performance to delays caused by earlier sets and venue curfew regulations. Earlier reporting noted: Shilpa was among the performers at BMP’s 10th-anniversary celebrations, an event that reportedly faced delays and sound issues throughout the day. Earlier reporting noted: When she returned to address the audience and thank them for their patience, her microphone was switched off again before Kutle’s performance began.
