playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has revealed that he advised Udit Narayan to openly acknowledge the viral kiss controversy rather than shy away from it, saying he personally stood by his fellow singer when the backlash erupted.In a recent interview with Subhojit Ghosh, Abhijeet recalled telling Udit to accept the incident instead of getting defensive.“I told Udit, ‘Just say yes. Someone kissed you. If the fans hug and kiss you, accept it. If they kissed you, you kissed back. What’s the problem?'” he said, adding that he encouraged the veteran singer to respond honestly rather than avoid the conversation.Udit Narayan had faced intense criticism in early 2025 after concert videos showed him kissing a female fan on the lips during a live performance. The singer later defended himself, describing the moment as an expression of affection amid “fan mania” and insisting there was no ill intent.Abhijeet used the episode to highlight what he described as his habit of standing by other artistes during difficult times.
“I’m with my friends”
The singer said he has often taken public stands in support of peers, even when others chose to remain silent.Referring to Udit, she said she wrote in support of him and encouraged him to own the incident rather than let the controversy define him.Abhijeet also cited another example related to Sonu Nigam, saying he was among the few who publicly supported the singer during an earlier controversy.“When people targeted Sonu, I stood by him. Even those close to him stayed quiet or distanced themselves. I was there,” he said. According to Abhijeet, friendships in the entertainment industry tend to be one-sided and he believes in supporting people whenever he feels they need it, regardless of whether the gesture is reciprocated.