‘Angoor na mile toh khatte lagte hain’: Neha Kakkar takes swipe at Sunidhi Chauhan over ‘scripted’ reality shows

The debate over the authenticity of singing reality shows has intensified after Neha Kakkar took a pointed swipe at fellow singer Sunidhi Chauhan over her criticism of the format.

Sunidhi has previously spoken about quitting reality shows because of concerns over scripting, editing and the use of Auto-Tune. Neha, however, defended the shows and questioned such criticism, saying the format was not scripted. Her remarks have since triggered a strong reaction online, with several users accusing her of being “disrespectful”.

Neha Kakkar responds to Sunidhi Chauhan

Speaking to the media at the launch of I-POPSTAR Volume 2, Neha was asked whether the popularity of singing reality shows had declined because singers such as Sunidhi had described them as fake and scripted.

Neha responded, “The fame declined because I stopped doing it. The TRPs were at their highest as long as I was doing it.”

She then appeared to take a dig at Sunidhi, saying, “Sorry, but I would like to say, ‘angoor naa mile toh angoor khate hain’ log aisa bolte hain toh waisa hi hai. Angoor jisko nahi milte usko khatte hi lagte hain.”

Defending the reality-show format, Neha added, “Yeh show bilkul scripted nahi hai. People’s lives are never scripted. Of course, we all come from a humble background, and if I get emotional listening to someone’s story, so it’s natural.”

Internet reacts to Neha’s remarks

Neha’s comments quickly sparked debate on social media, with several users criticising her response.

One user wrote, “Want this level of delusion,” while another called her remarks “so disrespectful”. A third user questioned her “audacity” while praising Sunidhi’s live performances.

Why did Sunidhi quit reality shows?

Sunidhi recently opened up about her decision to step away from singing reality shows during a conversation with Shekhar Suman. She said she became uncomfortable with the way some shows were being produced and edited.

According to Sunidhi, Auto-Tune was initially used in music to create a particular sound or effect, but its use in reality shows made her uncomfortable because contestants were expected to deliver genuine performances.

She said she ultimately decided to leave the format and was happier after doing so.

Sunidhi had also raised similar concerns in a 2024 conversation with Raj Shamani. She recalled that there was little drama on the early seasons of Indian Idol, but claimed reality shows gradually became more scripted and heavily edited.

She also said showmakers sometimes tried to portray contestants in a particular way and revealed that she had been asked to promote a specific contestant regardless of their performance.

Neha Kakkar’s I-POPSTAR Volume 2

Meanwhile, Neha is set to return as a mentor on I-POPSTAR Volume 2. She will be joined by fellow mentors Aditya Rikhari and KING, with Wicked Sunny, also known as Vikalp Dwivedi, serving as host.

The show is set to premiere on Amazon MX Player, though its release date has not yet been announced.