Vivek Agnihotri criticises Jasleen Royal's performance at Coldplay concert; says, 'Follower count over talent is the new norm'

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has joined the wave of criticism directed at Jasleen Royal's opening act for Coldplay’s concerts in Mumbai. Jasleen, who made history as the first Indian artist to perform as the opening act for the legendary British band, has been under fire from concert-goers and industry peers for what many have described as a lacklustre performance.

Taking to his official X account, Vivek shared a clip of Jasleen’s performance and expressed his discontent. “The audience is more sureela (melodious) than these auto-tuned, Instagram-generated singers,” he wrote. He further questioned her selection, stating, “Imagine if she didn’t have followers on Instagram, would anyone have even allowed her to audition for a mohalla (local) singing contest?”

Agnihotri’s comment comes in the wake of similar criticisms from singers Antara Mitra and Vishal Dadlani. Both artists slammed the industry for prioritising social media influence over musical talent. While Antara openly called out the decision-makers, Vishal penned a cryptic Instagram post about a “basic-to-bad” singer performing at a large-scale event, which netizens believed was directed at Jasleen.

Jasleen Royal’s performance at Coldplay’s Mumbai concerts on January 18, 19, and 21 at DY Patil Stadium has drawn mixed reactions. While some lauded her for achieving such a milestone, others labeled her act as “out of tune” and “unbearable.” Despite the backlash, Jasleen has maintained a positive front, sharing highlights from the event on her social media.

Jasleen, known for hits like Din Shagna Da (Phillauri), Love You Zindagi (Dear Zindagi), and Ranjha (Shershaah), is set to continue as the opening act for Coldplay’s Ahmedabad concerts.