'Fans itne deewane hote hain': Udit Narayan reacts to viral kissing video backlash, 'Humein bhi unko khush karna hota hai'

Veteran singer Udit Narayan has found himself at the center of a social media storm after a video of him kissing his female fans during a live performance went viral. The clip, which shows Narayan interacting with fans, taking selfies, and planting kisses, triggered widespread backlash, with many users questioning his behavior.

In the now-viral video, Narayan, dressed in a wine red blazer, is seen performing the hit song “Tip Tip Barsa Paani” when several female fans approach the stage for selfies. Sitting down to accommodate them, he’s seen giving pecks on their cheeks. The video escalates when, after clicking a selfie with another fan, Narayan ends up kissing her on the lips—a moment that sparked outrage online.

Singer Reacts

Facing criticism, the singer addressed the controversy in an interview with Hindustan Times, stating, “Fans itne deewane hote hain na. Hum log aise nahi hain, hum decent log hain. Some people encourage this and show their love through this. Udaake kya karna hai ab iss cheez ko?” (Fans are crazy. We are not like this. We are decent people. What’s the point of spreading this?)

Narayan downplayed the incident, suggesting it was a spontaneous moment driven by fan enthusiasm. “There are so many people in the crowd, and we have bodyguards present too. But fans think they are getting a chance to meet, so someone extends their hands for a handshake, some kiss the hands… yeh sab deewangi hoti hai. Uspe itna dhyaan nahi dena chahiye.” (This is all madness. We shouldn’t pay much attention to it.)

He refrained from specifying the time and location of the video but emphasized that fan interactions often get intense during his performances. “My family’s image is such that everyone wants (a controversy to happen). Aditya (Narayan, son and singer) chup chaap rehta hai, controversy mein aata nahi hai. There is madness when I am singing on stage, fans love me, I think let them be happy. Otherwise iss type ke log hum hain hi nahi. Humein bhi unko khush karna hota hai.” (Aditya stays quiet, doesn’t get into controversies. We aren’t that kind of people. We have to keep them happy.)

Responding to criticism about kissing a female fan on the lips, Narayan said, “I have been in Bollywood for 46 years now, my image hasn’t been such (that I forcefully kiss fans). In fact, I fold my hands when I see the love my fans shower on me, while on stage, I bow down, thinking phir aaj ka yeh waqt laut ke aaye na aaye.” (Perhaps this time will not come back tomorrow.)