Kailash Kher recently attended a healthcare event in Delhi. During the award show, when the host asked him to sing a few lines, Kailash lost his cool and gave her an earful. He strongly criticised the culture of asking singers to perform on demand, calling it disrespectful to the art and effort behind music.
Kailash Kher slams host who demanded him to sing
Kailash strongly criticised the idea of asking singers to perform on the spot. He said it reduces the value of music and the effort behind it. “Yahi main badalna chahta hoon, yahi mere mann mein lalak lagi hui hai—yahi badalna hai. Ki gayak ko, sangeet ko aise na mana jaaye ki sirf do line gaa dijiye, mood bana dijiye. Yeh bahut galat hai. Yeh request hi mat kijiye (This is exactly what I want to change—this is something I deeply feel about. A singer and music should not be treated in a way where you just ask them to sing two lines and set the mood. That is very wrong. Please don’t make such requests).”
He added, “Aap kya Sachin Tendulkar ko bolenge ki ek zara chakka lagake dikha dijiye? Ya kisi army ke jawan ko bolenge ki apni position leke ek zara shot laga dijiye? Woh mat kariye, please. Clown mat banaiye kalakar ko. Sadhak ko ek manoranjak mat banaiye. Artists sadhak hote hain, woh apne mann ke hote hain (Would you ever ask Sachin Tendulkar to just hit a six on the spot? Or would you ask a soldier to take a position and fire a shot just like that? Please don’t do this. Don’t turn artists into clowns. Don’t reduce an artist to mere entertainment. A true artist is a seeker; they belong to their inner self).”
More about Kailash Kher
Kailash Kher is one of India’s most distinctive voices, known for blending Sufi, folk, and devotional music with mainstream cinema. His notable tracks include Yun Hi Chala Chal, Chand Sifarish, Teri Deewani, and Allah Ke Bande, among others. Kailash often speaks his mind, even at concerts. Last year, during a show in Gwalior, he schooled the crowd for “behaving like animals.” He even threatened to stop the show if his instruments were touched.
