Sonu Nigam on Kannada row: 'I trust Karnataka's sensibility'

After facing backlash for his comments connecting the demand for a Kannada song to the Pahalgam attack, singer Sonu Nigam addressed the controversy through an open letter, clarifying his deep affection for the Kannada language and culture.

The Kal Ho Naa Ho singer expressed, I have immense love for the language, culture, music, and the people of Karnataka. Whether in Karnataka or elsewhere, I’ve always revered Kannada songs more than any other, including Hindi. There are hundreds of videos online to prove this, and I prepare over an hour of Kannada songs for every concert in the state.

Sonu Nigam emphasized that while he holds Kannada dear, he will not tolerate being humiliated, especially in front of his son. He recalled an incident where, during a performance, some audience members disrupted the show demanding a Kannada song. Despite trying to calm them down and assure them that the concert had just begun, the situation escalated, with threats being made. I politely told them to let me continue, as every artist has a set list that keeps the musicians and technicians in sync. But they refused to listen and insisted on causing chaos, he said.

Sonu condemned the hate created in the name of language and shared that he ended up performing in Kannada for over an hour. He concluded by leaving the matter to the sensible people of Karnataka to decide who was at fault, stating he would accept their verdict with grace.