Patna: Bhojpuri star Pawan Singh has apologised to Haryanvi actress and singer Anjali Raghav after a viral video from a stage event in Lucknow showed him touching her waist, triggering a backlash and calls for accountability.
In a note shared on Instagram, Singh wrote: “Anjali ji, due to my busy schedule I could not watch your live. When I came to know about this, I felt bad. I had no wrong intention towards you. Because we are artists, despite this, if you have been hurt by my behaviour, then I apologise.”
Anjali, who had earlier expressed distress over the incident, acknowledged the apology on her Instagram status and said: “Pawan Singh ji has apologised for his mistake. He is older than me and a senior artist. I have forgiven him. I do not want to take this matter further. Jai Shri Ram.”
The controversy flared after a video circulated online showing Singh placing his hand on Anjali’s waist during a performance. In an emotional Instagram video, Anjali said she felt uncomfortable but remained silent at the time as the audience in Lucknow was largely Singh’s fan base. “If what happened to me in Lucknow had happened in Haryana, the public would have answered it itself,” she said.
She added that the incident had left her so disheartened that she considered quitting the Bhojpuri industry altogether. “I do not support touching any girl without her permission,” Anjali said. “I felt lonely as the matter kept on increasing.”
Amid the uproar, Singh shared a folded-hands photo of himself on X (formerly Twitter), captioned with a Hindi proverb: “Jis tan lage so tan jaane. Koi na jaane peer parayi” — roughly meaning only the one who suffers knows the pain.
Anjali Raghav, known for hit Haryanvi tracks including Haye Re Meri Moto, has also featured in the Bollywood film Tevar and television serial Kairi-Rishta Khatta Meetha. She continues to perform live across Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, and has appeared in several regional music videos.
