Singer Arijit Singh breaks silence over Gerua row for the first time, says "so much controversy over a colour"

Last year in December, Arjit Singh faced a controversy when he took to the stage at Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) 2022 and sung the song titled 'Gerua' from the film 'Dilwale' starring Shah Rukh Khan, who was present on the same stage. After CM Mamata Banerjee and audience's demand, the singer had sung a single line from the song 'Rang de tu mohe gerua'.

Arijit Singh broke his silence over 'Gerua' controversy

Days later, it was reported that Arijit Singh's concert, which was scheduled to be held on February 18, 2023, had been cancelled. A debate erupted between the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), as the BJP accused Mamata Banerjee of being offended by Arijit Singh's choice of song 'Gerua' at the event as she has always expressed her anger in person and in public about the 'saffronisation' of Indian politics.

However, West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim had later clarified that the permission for Arijit Singh's concert was not granted due to the G20 event that was also scheduled in the same area and it had nothing to do with the singer's song. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh had also rubbished the BJP's claims and said that BJP was politicising the issue.

"So much controversy over a colour"

Though Arijit Singh never commented on the controversy then, finally he has addressed the 'gerua' controversy for the first time during a concert in Kolkata on Sunday, February 19. He said, "So much controversy over a colour, it is strange. If Swami ji wore white, would there be controversy over white too?"

Meanwhile, the controversy over the term 'gerua' has been in the news for the past few months; first because of the singer's concert being cancelled and secondly after Shah Rukh Khan's song Besharam Rang from the film 'Pathaan'. The song from King Khan's latest film faced backlash for allegedly disrespecting' the colour saffron, as Deepika Padukone in the song was wearing orange, and a number of politicians were seen talking about the same sentiment in the recent time.