Popular singer Sonu Nigam in a statement on Monday reiterated his love for the Kannada people but felt compelled to confront the young men who “threatened” him during a live concert over language issues.
IMAGE: Singer Sonu Nigam performs at the newly inaugurated Open Air Theatre in the President’s Estate on the occasion of Rashtrapati Bhavan Diwas, in New Delhi, February 4, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo
His statement comes after the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce announced a ‘non-cooperation’ campaign against the singer for his allegedly controversial remark which hurt the sentiments of the Kannadaigas during a recent concert in Bengaluru.
An FIR was also registered at the Avalahalli Police Station in Bengaluru on May 3 against Nigam for reportedly retorting, “Kannada. Kannada. This is the reason behind the incident in Pahalgam,” in response to an audience member’s request to sing in Kannada last month at a concert in the city.
In the statement posted on Instagram, the singer said he will cooperate with the police authorities of Karnataka in the matter and always “cherish the love” he has received from the people of the state irrespective of the verdict.
“I leave it up to the sensible people of Karnataka to decide who is at fault here. I will accept your verdict gracefully. I fully respect and trust the law agencies and police of Karnataka and will comply with whatever is expected from me,” Nigam wrote.
Regardless of the love he has received from the people of Karnataka, the playback singer said he was not some “young lad” who would take humiliation from anyone.
“I am 51 years old, in the second half of my life and am entitled to take offence for someone as young as my son threatening me directly in front of thousands in the name of language that too Kannada which is my second language when it comes to my work. That too right after my first song of the concert! He provoked a few more. Their own people were embarrassed and were asking them to shut up..
“I told them very politely and lovingly that the show has just started, it’s my first song and that I will not let them down, but they have to let me continue with the concert the way I have planned. Every artiste has a song list prepared so the musicians and technicians are in sync. But they were hell bent on creating ruckus and threatening me wildly. Tell me who is at fault?” he asked.
As a patriot, Nigam said, he loathes anyone trying to create hate in the name of “language, caste or religion”, especially after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam which claimed the lives of 26 people, including two from Karnataka.
“I had to school them, and I did, and thousands of students and teachers cheered me for it. The matter got over and I sang Kannada for more than an hour. It’s all there on social media,” he added.
On Saturday, Nigam shared a video on Instagram in which he defended himself after an FIR was filed against him for allegedly offending the sentiments of Kannadigas during the concert.
In the clip, the singer said he was “threatened” by a small group of boys to sing in Kannada at the event. He, however, also urged people “not to generalise” or hold the entire community responsible for the actions of a few.
The incident occurred during a live concert on April 25 at a college in Bengaluru. Nigam paused his performance when someone from the audience loudly demanded that he sing in Kannada. Frustrated by the repeated shouts of “Kannada, Kannada,” the singer responded sharply from the stage.
In a video that went viral on social media, Nigam is also heard saying that some of the best songs of his career are in Kannada and that Karnataka has always treated him like family, but he was irked by how the demand was made.
