For decades, the Bollywood film and music industries have been two sides of the same coin, making playback music the norm and giving playback singers an equal claim to popularity as film stars. With hits like Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Zoobi Doobi, his voice is synonymous with several classic films of the last three decades – few playback singers’ fame is as ubiquitous as Sonu Nigam’s. In Karnataka, he is known for his romantic Kannada ballads like Ee Sanje Yakagide and Ninnindale. Recently, however, during his concert at East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Avalahalli, Nigam got embroiled in a heated controversy, when he was heckled by an audience member to sing in Kannada, following which the former refused and drew a comparison with Pahalgam. An FIR has also been filed against Sonu Nigam for the same. The city’s residents and artistes react:
In such big concerts, there will always be a percentage of people who will heckle the artiste. In this case, they wanted him to sing more Kannada songs, which is understandable given that he was singing in Karnataka. I also understand why he felt heckled. I think his response would have been fine if he hadn’t drawn a comparison to Pahalgam. The relationship between an artiste and their audience needs to be built with care and love. Not with intimidation and fear.
Sonu Nigam’s reaction was totally uncalled for and egotistic. He was performing at a ticketed concert so he has to respect the expectations of the audience. The tone he has adopted is in total contempt of the language which gave him life. This very attitude has left him with an unofficial ban in Bollywood. More alarming are Sonu’s supporters’ remarks on Kannada and Kannadigas. One thing they better understand is that they are getting livelihoods and good lives here only because of Kannadigas’ generosity.
Sonu Nigam is a legendary musician with over four decades in the industry and he deserves respect for his positive personality and his songs in many regional languages. In the Bengaluru concert incident, where someone shouted for him to sing in Kannada, I think his reaction was absolutely correct. He reminded us that as Indians, we should not divide ourselves by language or state. His comparison with Pahalgam shows that such disunity only weakens us. We must stay united, respect every culture, and first see ourselves as Indians.
The recent Pahalgam attack has left everyone shaken, and now, amidst this heated moment, Sonu Nigam’s statement has sparked controversy. As a fan, I believe he’s an exceptional artist who genuinely respects our country and its languages, including Kannada – I’ve seen it when I worked on a project with him. This seems like a massive misunderstanding fuelled by the nation’s raw emotions. When passions run high, triggers are quick. Perhaps the audience could consider the pressure artistes face during performances, while artistes should also acknowledge the weight of their responsibility. Let’s approach this with empathy and understanding.
I feel that his reaction was somewhat justified. What India needs most right now is unity, which we’re gradually losing due to pointless language wars among ourselves. As a nation, we must learn to embrace our differences. Of course, these wars aren’t directly related to incidents like the Pahalgam attack but if we remain like this, how can we fight against terrorism?