Neha Bhasin, Chaar Diwari defend Anuv Jain after Vishal Dadlani said performance with Jacob Collier was ‘embarrassing’ | Hindustan Times

Singer Neha Bhasin and rapper Chaar Diwaari have come forward in support of Anuv Jain after waves of criticism hit social media over his performance with seven-time Grammy-winning musician Jacob Collier in Mumbai last week. The clip where Anuv joined him on stage to sing his hit track Baarishen, resurfaced online over the weekend, prompting two artists to publicly defend him.

Neha Bhasin has defended Anuv Jain’s collaboration with Jacob Collier during latter’s concert in Mumbai

Neha Bhasin, reacting to a widely shared Instagram video, reminded critics that Anuv was personally chosen by the British musician. “And with all due respect, didn’t Jacob invite him over all other talent in India. Toh enjoy,” she wrote in the comments, urging fans to appreciate the collaboration instead of tearing it down.

Similarly, rapper Chaar Diwari echoed the sentiment with a more candid admission. “I don’t blame him, meri bhi personally fatt jati Jacob ke samne tbh,” he commented, suggesting that performing beside a musician as technically formidable as Jacob could be daunting for anyone.

Their reactions arrived after a section of the internet had already dismissed Anuv’s performance as flat and lacklustre, sparking an intense debate about expectations from Indian artists on global stages. Among those who voiced strong criticism earlier was composer-singer Vishal Dadlani. Sharing his reaction to the same video, he wrote, “Is it necessary to keep doing embarrassing s***e like this? Is it part of some corporate mandate somewhere?” His comment amplified the online conversation, with several agreeing and others accusing him of being unnecessarily harsh.

The scrutiny around Anuv’s collaboration isn’t new in the broader cultural context. Indian artists performing alongside international names have repeatedly found themselves dealing with disproportionate backlash. Just earlier this year, singer Jasleen Royal faced similar trolling after appearing during Coldplay’s concerts in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, with social media quick to pick apart her performance as well.

As discussions continue to swirl, Anuv Jain has not yet issued a statement addressing the criticism. HT reached out to him for a comment, but he remained unavailable at the time of filing the story.