Indian 'Beliebers', who had shelled out thousands of rupees to listen to Justin Bieber, said today they were appalled when they realised that the teen pop sensation was lip-syncing some of his songs at his much awaited concert in Mumbai.
The 23-year-old singer, who was in India as part of the Asia leg of his Purpose World Tour, is believed to have left the country, contrary to reports that he would visit New Delhi, Jaipur and Agra, said an organiser.
Director Anurag Basu, amongst the many thousands who packed into the D Y Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai yesterday evening with his daughter, a huge Bieber fan, said the Cold Water singer was "not prepared".
"I would have been happy if he would have sung all songs live. He only sang four songs live. An artist of his calibre should sing live. He was not prepared," Basu said.
Another fan at the event said, "I attended Coldplay's concert and I think that was much better than this. Justin's performance was low on energy and the worst part was he was lip-syncing to many of his songs."
A couple who had flown in from Pune and paid Rs 36,000 per pass said Bieber's lip-syncing was quite a turn-off. "It's quite clear that he is not singing these songs," the husband said.
Bharti Mamgain, a banker who accompanied her 10-year-old daughter Ria to the show, was equally upset. "I wish I had not paid a bomb for this awful concert."
The Canadian singer faced huge flak on social media as well.
"Bieber was so bad it was hilarious. He had the stage presence of khichdi. Plus kaafi lip sync. (Lucky that my tickets were free :D)," AIB comic Ashish Shakya said on Twitter.
Taking a jibe at Bieber's hit Sorry, a user wrote, "So Justin Bieber was lip syncing... Is it too late to say sorry now?"
"People paid 76K for seeing Justin lip sync to his own songs. Like seriously? #JustinBieberIndia #JustinBieberIndia," added another Twitter user.
Bieber's performance started around 8 pm, several hours after fans had gathered in the stadium. He was on stage for for over one-and-half hours, singing hit numbers like Baby, Sorry, No Sense, Company, No Pressure and Hold Tight.
Bollywood bigwigs, including Sridevi, Boney Kapoor, Shweta Bachchan Nanda, Malaika Arora, Arbaaz Khan, Raveena Tandon and Arjun Rampal, were spotted at the venue with their children.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.