Abhijeet Bhattacharya backs Udit Narayan following his kissing controversy, says "Koi unke saath khelne ki koshish mat karo..."

Abhijeet Bhattacharya defends Udit Narayan

Udit Narayan recently found himself at the centre of a heated controversy after a video surfaced online showing him kissing a female fan on the lips during a live performance.

The video, which quickly went viral, captured the moment when the fan approached the stage to take a selfie with the singer. She initially attempted to kiss him on the cheek, but Narayan unexpectedly kissed her on the lips for a few seconds instead.

This act sparked a massive backlash on social media, with many users expressing their disapproval.

Netizens were quick to label his behaviour as inappropriate and 'disgusting,' criticizing him for crossing personal boundaries in a public setting.

While some defended the singer, suggesting it was a spontaneous, innocent gesture, the overwhelming reaction from online users was one of discomfort and outrage.

The incident has reignited debates on personal space and respect for boundaries in the entertainment industry.

In the midst of the controversy, singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has shared a story about an incident where a fan kissed him on stage, with none other than Lata Mangeshkar present at the time.

While talking to News18 Showsha, he said, "Udit is a superstar singer. And episodes like this keep happening to us, singers, all the time. If we aren’t properly guarded or surrounded by bouncers, people tear our clothes apart."

Further reflecting on the incident, Abhijeet shared that during the performance, the fan unexpectedly kissed him, and he was left in an awkward situation with the legendary Lata Mangeshkar watching.

He mentioned, "It has happened to me in the past too. When I was relatively new in the industry, during a concert in South Africa, teen-chaar ladkiyon ke mere gaal pe itna khatarnak kiss kiya ki main stage pe jaa hi nahi pa raha tha. And all of this happened right in front of Lata (Mangeshkar) ji. I had lipstick marks on my cheeks."

Abhijeet also mentioned that Udit Narayan's wife, Deepa Gahatraj, is often present with him during such events. He went on to defend Udit, suggesting that there was no ill intention behind his actions, "He’s Udit Narayan! Ladkiyaan unke peeche padhi thi. He didn’t pull anyone close to him. I’m sure that every time Udit performs, his wife accompanies him as a co-singer. Let him enjoy his success! He’s a romantic singer. He’s also a big khiladi and I’m an anari. Koi unke saath khelne ki koshish mat karo."

Meanwhile, Udit Narayan defended his actions, explaining to ETimes that there was no malice behind his gesture saying, "There is a deep pure and unbreakable bond between my fans and me. What you saw in the so-called scandalous video was a manifestation of the love between my fans and I. They love me and I love them back even more. It is not something sleazy or secret. It is there in the public domain. My heart is pure. If some people want to see something dirty in an act of pure affection, then I feel sorry for them. I also want to thank them."

Udit Narayan is a renowned Indian playback singer who has been a prominent figure in the Indian music industry for several decades. He is known for his versatile voice and his ability to sing in various languages, including Hindi, Nepali, and several regional Indian languages. Udit gained massive popularity in the 1990s and early 2000s, delivering numerous hit songs in Bollywood films.