Singer Jasleen Royal recently had the honor of opening for British rock band Coldplay during their Music of the Spheres World Tour concerts in Mumbai. While this was a milestone moment for the singer, it has sparked mixed reactions online, with filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri offering a harsh critique of her performance.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Agnihotri shared a video of Jasleen’s performance and voiced his dissatisfaction, labeling her an “auto-tuned singer.” He further criticized the trend of prioritizing social media fame over talent, questioning if such opportunities would be possible without her online following. He wrote, “The audience is more sureela than these auto-tuned, Instagram-generated singers. Imagine if she didn’t have followers on Instagram, would anyone have even allowed her to audition for a mohalla singing contest?” He concluded with a critique of the industry, saying, “Follower count over talent is the new norm.”
The filmmaker’s comments ignited a debate on social media. While some agreed with his views, calling her performance underwhelming, others defended the singer, pointing to her body of work and highlighting her achievements. A user commented, “She got an opportunity based on her status; others are still waiting,” while another remarked, “I’ve heard better singers in X Spaces.”
Despite the criticism, Jasleen’s opening act for Coldplay marked a significant achievement in her career, as she performed on all three nights of the Mumbai concerts. Known for her minimalistic and heartfelt compositions, Jasleen has earned acclaim in Bollywood, and her inclusion in the Coldplay lineup was seen as a nod to her growing prominence.
On the work front, Vivek Agnihotri is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film, The Delhi Files.
