Buxar: Chaos erupted at a cultural event in Rajpur village, Buxar district, when Bhojpuri singer Neha Singh Nishtha interrupted her performance to confront a young man in the audience who was persistently throwing money at her in a disrespectful manner.
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media, sparking a wider conversation about the treatment of female artists during public performances. According to eyewitnesses, Neha was midway through a song when the young man began throwing currency notes directly at her face, despite repeated warnings.
Uncomfortable and visibly upset, the singer paused the performance to call out the behaviour, urging the man to “respect Lakshmi,” a reference to the Hindu goddess of wealth, and to treat artists with dignity. When the behaviour continued, she refused to sing further until the man was removed from the stage area.
“This is not a reward — this is misbehaviour,” Neha reportedly told the crowd as she halted the music. The organisers, along with local villagers, intervened and escorted the young man away from the stage. Only then did Neha resume her performance, which had been part of a housewarming celebration hosted by a local resident.
Audience members and social media users alike praised Neha Singh Nishtha’s courage and professionalism, calling it a powerful message against the harassment of performers, particularly women, during live shows.
Many have argued that her response should set a precedent for other artists facing similar situations. “If female performers begin to speak out like this, such hooliganism will stop,” one social media user wrote.
In recent years, concerns over the safety and dignity of performers in informal stage shows have been mounting, particularly in rural areas where crowd management is minimal and public decorum is sometimes lacking.
