Singer Kailash Kher refuses to perform at event, requests not to 'turn artists into clowns'

New Delhi: "Don't turn artists into clowns", said singer Kailash Kher as he refused to sing at an event and asked not to make such requests.

Kher attended an award show in Delhi on Saturday, where he was asked to sing a few lines. Denying the request, the singer went on to compare individuals from different fields and said it is the same as asking a cricketer to hit a sixer or an army person to fire a shot.

The videos from the event were quick to surface online.

"Yahi main badalna chahta hoon, yahi mere mann main lalak lagi hui, yahi badalna hai. Ki gayak ko, sangeet ko aise naa mana jaaye ki sir do line aa gaa dijiye, mood bana dijiye. Yeh bahut galat hai. Yeh request hi mat kijiye (This is exactly what I want to change-this is something I deeply feel about. A singer and music should not be treated in a way where you just ask them to sing two lines and set the mood. That is very wrong. Please don't make such request)," he is heard saying in the video.

"Aap kya Sachin Tendulkar ko bolenge ki ek zara chakka lagake dikha dijiye? Is Prithvi pe koi nahi aisa karta. Yaa kisi army ke jawan ko nahi bolenge ki aapni position leke ek zara shot laga dijiye. Voh mat kariye please. clown mat banane dijiye kalakar ko. Sadhak ko ek manoranjak mat banaiye. Artists, Sadhak hote hain, voh aapne mann ke hote hain. (Would you ever ask Sachin Tendulkar to just hit a six for you on the spot? No one does that. Or would you ask a soldier to take a position and fire a shot just like that? Please don't do this. Don't turn artists into clowns. Don't reduce an artist to mere entertainment. A true artist is a seeker; they belong to their inner self," he added.

Kher had his breakthrough in 2003, following which he went on to lend his voice to several tracks. Some of his notable tracks include Yun Hi Chala Chal, Teri Deewani, and Saiyyan, among others.