PATNA: Bollywood singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya stopped singing on the stage midway Thursday evening, protesting against a particular 'modest' dish not being served to him and his team.
“I got here yesterday and I am yet to be served Bihar’s popular dish 'Litti-Chokha',” he said. He turned towards his musical troupe and asked whether they got to taste the delicacy.
When his team members told him that none of them got it, the singer remarked, "Bhai sahab, I will not sing if we are not served litti chokha." The audience was amused at the playback singer's wish to have Bihar's delicious food.
He resumed his performance only after the district magistrate assured him that he and his musical troupe will get ‘litti-choka’.
The cultural show was organised on the occasion of Vaishali Mahotsav organised by the Youth, Art and Culture Department of Bihar.
Bhattacharya who has sung more than 6000 songs in over 1000 films was in the state to perform at Vaishali Mahotsava.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also tried ‘Litti-Chokha’ at New Delhi`s Hunar Haat in February 2020. The episode had generated political heat in Bihar where the assembly election was scheduled for later that year.
Famous Bollywood actor Amir Khan is also fond of 'Litti-Chokha'. He had tasted the delicious food at a roadside stall near Sanjay Gandhi Geological Park, also known as Patna Zoo, in the state capital.
It is to be noted that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had earlier expressed his dream of “seeing at least one Bihari dish on the plates of every Indian.”