Vishal Dadlani Slams Anuv Jain’s Jacob Collier Collaboration

What was meant to be a special musical moment at Jacob Collier’s Mumbai concert has transformed into a heated online debate. During the India leg of Collier’s Djesse Vol. 4 World Tour at Nesco Center on November 30, the renowned musician invited Anuv Jain to perform Baarishen. The unexpected collaboration has divided audiences and sparked discussions about live performance quality in the Indian music industry.

The Controversy Ignites

A video of Anuv singing while Jacob accompanied him on piano circulated widely on Instagram. While some appreciated the crossover, critics felt the performance lacked polish and finesse. The situation intensified when singer-composer Vishal Dadlani weighed in bluntly, asking, “Is it necessary to keep doing embarrassing stuff like this? Is it part of some corporate mandate somewhere?”

His sharp critique split social media—supporters praised his honesty about declining live performance standards, while others blamed music labels for pressuring artists into unsuitable collaborations. The incident mirrors longstanding concerns about artist preparedness on large stages.

A Pattern of Accountability

This isn’t Vishal’s first public call-out of subpar performances. Earlier this year, he posted an Instagram critique stating that putting unprepared singers before large crowds only exposes their limitations further. As the frontman of Pentagram and one-half of the acclaimed Vishal-Shekhar duo behind hits like Om Shanti Om and War, his opinions carry significant weight in Indian music circles.

The Jacob Collier controversy has reignited conversations about performance standards, label responsibilities, and artist development in India’s music scene, with Vishal positioned as a vocal advocate for quality and authenticity.