Vishal Dadlani laughs off Indian Idol firing rumours over PM Modi remark

Singer-composer Vishal Dadlani has said he has not been removed from Indian Idol, after rumours spread online claiming that he had been fired from the judges' panel over his criticism of the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the NEET paper leak issue. Dadlani dismissed the claims himself and told fans that he is still part of the show.

The speculation began after Dadlani posted about the handling of the NEET-UG examination controversy and called for better representation in government. Soon after, several social media pages claimed that the makers of Indian Idol had removed him because of his political remarks.

Vishal Dadlani on being fired from Indian Idol

Dadlani later responded with an Instagram post from the Indian Idol set. In the video, he first pretended to cry and then burst into laughter before saying, "Here I am, baby!" In the caption, he wrote, "Remember not to trust anything you see online. There's a whole lot of manipulation going on. Keep fighting the good fight, and saying what needs to be said!"

Vishal Dadlani on NEET paper leak row

Earlier, while reacting to the NEET paper leak, Dadlani had said he wanted to express his support and solidarity with students affected by it. He said it was wrong that such an incident happens every year, and added that it was worse that no government agency was taking responsibility and that ministers were saying it was not a big issue. He also said that those in power were not educated and urged people to elect better and educated representatives.

In the same video, he asked voters not to choose leaders on the basis of caste or religion, and said, "If you want to secure your future and the future of this country, we have to elect better people. Please don't put these ignorant goons in power, even if they are from your caste or family. Please don't vote for them. Enough is enough. What is happening to this country, brother?"

The Instagram post drew mixed reactions online. One user wrote, "Serving fresh, much-needed wisdom, as always!" Another said, "Bros' roasting is on point."

A third user wrote, "You are the only person in the Bollywood industry who openly criticizes the government... the rest are your friends too. Why don't you call them out as well and tell them to do something for the country too?" '

Dadlani's post made it clear that the reports about his exit from Indian Idol were false, and that he remains on the show.