Kutle Khan’s manager breaks silence on Shilpa Rao stage row, blames event delays

Singer Kutle Khan’s manager, Sharad Sharma, has disputed the backlash against the folk musician following an incident involving singer Shilpa Rao at the 10th-anniversary edition of the Bollywood Music Project (BMP) in Mumbai on October 24. Sharma claimed that Rao interrupted Khan’s performance to thank the audience, countering allegations that Khan had disrupted her closing remarks.

The incident drew criticism on social media after Rao’s performance was cut short while she was addressing the audience. As she attempted to thank fans, her microphone was switched off and Khan’s performance began on another stage. The episode prompted questions about the event’s management and the treatment of performers.

The organisers issued an apology following the incident, attributing the disruption to scheduling delays and venue curfew restrictions. Rao also expressed disappointment on social media after her performance was cut short.

Kutle Khan’s manager says Shilpa Rao interrupted his performance

Speaking to a news outlet, Sharma said the organisers had initially allotted artists between 15 and 20 minutes on stage, but Khan’s slot was reduced to around 10 minutes. He said the team accepted the shorter duration.

"The festival team had allotted each artist 15-20 minutes onstage. But they chopped Khan saab’s performance time further. He was only given 10 minutes. But we were okay with it since they paid us. Shilpa finished her performance and left the stage," Sharma told News18.

The manager argued that Rao should have thanked the audience before leaving the stage rather than returning midway through Khan’s performance. He maintained that Khan’s team had no personal grievances against Rao and described her as a friend of the singer.

The manager said his team could have shared its own account online but had chosen not to engage in the dispute through social media.

These claims represent Khan’s team’s account of the incident. The competing accounts have not independently established who was responsible for the stage overlap.

Sharma also attributed the shortened performances to delays in the festival schedule. He alleged that Himesh Reshammiya’s sound check lasted around three hours, affecting the slots allotted to other artists. He claimed that organisers had permission to hold the event for only one day, requiring multiple performances to fit into a limited schedule. He said both Rao and Khan had their performance times reduced as a result.

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.