Assamese playback singer Nahid Afrin has found herself embroiled in a controversy after receiving the Best Background Singer award for a song she did not sing. However, in a video released on social media, Nahid Afrin clarified that she was unaware of the mix-up and had no idea which song the award was for.
She stated that she received a call from a member of the jury board informing her that she had won the award, and subsequently received several congratulatory calls and messages. When she went to accept the award, she was not aware of the name of the song for which the award was being handed out.
The controversy erupted on social media after it was revealed that Nahid Afrin was conferred the Best Background Singer recognition at the 8th State Film Awards ceremony for a song she wasn’t actually a part of. The song, ‘Neelate Luka Bhaku’ from the movie ‘Nijanor Gaan’, was sung by Rupjyoti Devi and Zubeen Garg. Nahid Afrin received the Pratima Pandey Barua Award for Best Background Singer (Woman) at the awards ceremony.
The controversy drew widespread criticism in the state’s cultural department, but Nahid Afrin clarified that she was not responsible for the mix-up and would be happy to return the award to the rightful winner if it was not meant for her. She concluded by stating that an award does not describe her talent or knowledge, but her own work does, and she will continue to strive with it.
The original singer of the song took to Facebook to congratulate Nahid Afrin for receiving the award, but the controversy has sparked a debate about the selection process and the transparency of awards in the Assamese film industry. The controversy highlights the need for a fair and transparent selection process for awards to avoid such mix-ups in the future.
