Renowned playback singer Sonu Nigam has recently faced criticism during a concert in Bengaluru, after comments he made about a fan’s request for a Kannada song. This incident sparked significant backlash and led to an FIR being filed against him for allegedly making statements that offended the Kannadiga community.
The event took place on April 25 at the East Point College of Engineering and Technology. A fan repeatedly called out for a Kannada song, which Nigam found disruptive. In a video that quickly went viral, he paused his performance to express his admiration for Kannada culture and mentioned his history of singing in that language. However, his comments regarding a recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the loss of 26 lives, created controversy. Nigam implied that disruptive behavior could have serious repercussions, leading many to misinterpret his words as linking the fan’s request to terrorism. This interpretation angered several Kannada activists and social media users.
On May 3, Nigam shared a video on Instagram to clarify his previous statements. He explained that his remarks were aimed at a small group of individuals who were causing a disturbance, not the entire Kannadiga community. “There were just four or five disruptive people, and many others were asking them to stop,” he noted, emphasizing his respect for the audience.
He reiterated his admiration for the Kannadigas, describing them as “very sweet people,” while also underlining the need to address the inappropriate behavior of a few. Specifically, he referred back to the Pahalgam incident, stating that it was important to remind the disruptive fans that the victims of the attack were targeted without regard for language or identity.
The situation intensified when the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a pro-Kannada organization, filed a complaint against Nigam with the Avalahalli Police Station. They argued that his remarks painted the Kannadigas as intolerant, contradicting their reputation for peace, and called for an apology.
