Gurdeep Mehndi Says Family Stressed After Minister's Public Criticism of Father's Health

Gurdeep Mehndi said the family is stressed after Uttarakhand minister Subodh Uniyal publicly questioned Daler Mehndi's health during a cultural event. Gurdeep had earlier replied at the PTC Punjabi Music Awards in Mumbai with a light‑hearted line – “Ekdum first class! Superhit hain, aur best of luck!” – when asked about his father’s condition. He later posted a selfie video on Instagram on Sunday, captioned “Rab Rakha”, explaining he was abroad at the time of the incident, flew back, and his father responded “Puttar, ekdum first class!” He added that his casual remark was meant in Punjabi style and does not reflect the family’s true mood. The controversy began when Daler Mehndi performed at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in Narendra Nagar. Minister Subodh Uniyal took the stage, accused the 59‑year‑old singer of being disoriented and suggested he was drunk. The next day, singer Mika Singh defended his brother, saying Daler does not drink and had undergone surgery before the show, which could have affected his performance. Uniyal later told PTI that the artist should have informed organizers of his ill health, noting he appeared to be lip‑syncing. Fans and several film personalities, including Mika Singh, Anupam Kher, Rajpal Yadav, Kapil Sharma, Vir Das, Badshah, Palash Sen, Alisha Chinai and Ila Arun, posted support. Actor Rahul Dev and singer Abhijeet Sawant called Daler their idol. Singer Sona Mohapatra warned that the audience also bears responsibility.

Context

Public criticism of a veteran artist’s health can quickly turn into a social media debate, especially when politicians intervene. In India, such incidents often draw solidarity from fellow entertainers who defend the artist’s reputation.