Bengaluru: The Kannada film chamber has ‘imposed a boycott’ on popular singer Sonu Nigam as his controversial statements at a 25 April concert in Bengaluru reverberated in Karnataka. Moreover, the Bengaluru police, who had filed a case against Sonu Nigam for hurting Kannada sentiments, have summoned him.
“From today, whoever is calling him for a song … we have decided that we would not have any activities with him,” M. Narasimhulu, the president of the Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce, said Monday. The film chamber demanded an unconditional apology from Sonu Nigam for it to even consider reversing the boycott.
During the performance, a fan asked Sonu Nigam to sing a Kannada song, leading to an exchange of words. The visibly irritated singer lashed out mid-performance, saying, “I always sing Kannada songs when requested. I had been singing in Kannada before that young man was born. But I did not like how he shouted ‘Kannada, Kannada’. Such behaviour leads to incidents such as the Pahalgam attack.” He, however, also said he revered Kannada songs, and some of his best work was in the language.
After the concert, several pro-Kannada groups protested against his attitude towards the local language. The singer’s statements—seen not only as reflecting neglect of non-Hindi languages by the North but also as equating local language preference with the Pahalgam terror attack—received widespread criticism, particularly in Karnataka.
His words also came amid heightened public emotions surrounding an Indian Air Force officer’s claim that he was accosted and assaulted for not knowing Kannada.
The back-to-back cases have contributed to the growing friction between Kannada speakers and the large migrant population, perceived as unwilling to learn and respect the local language, and hence, facilitating Hindi imposition. Sonu Nigam has only added fuel to the simmering tensions between the two groups.
‘I revere Kannada’
On Monday, Sonu Nigam issued a clarification in a lengthy social media post.
“I have given unprecedented love to the language, culture, music, musicians, state, and people, not only in Karnataka but also in other parts of the world. I also revere my Kannada songs way more than songs in other languages, including Hindi,” Nigam wrote.
Nigam has sung very popular and iconic songs in Kannada and remains very much in demand among the concert-going audiences.
Dharma Vish, the general secretary of Karnataka Film Musicians’ Association, said Monday that Sonu Nigam was one of the best talents in the industry, but the boycott was not about his talent. His statements, Vish added, have hurt Kannadiga sentiments. “You compare a person or people from a state to terrorists—it is very damaging.”
Dharma Vish also said Nigam later released a video, screaming and gesturing, in what could be called his version of a clarification for his statements at the concert. The video, he added, was in bad taste, too.
On his part, Nigam said he was not a “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 at 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, after my first song of the concert! He provoked a few more [people],” Sonu Nigam said.
Explaining that every artist has a song list prepared, so the musicians and technicians are in sync, and it was only his first song, he added, “They were hell-bent on creating a ruckus, threatening me wildly. Tell me: who is at fault?”
The singer also said he was a patriot and loathed anyone trying to create hate in the name of language, caste or religion, “especially after what transpired in Pahalgam”.
He said the audience cheered for him after his brief exchange with the youth before he started his Kannada songs, which he then sang for over an hour.
“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 law agencies, and Karnataka Police, and will comply with whatever they expect from me. I have received divine love from Karnataka and will cherish it always with no malice, irrespective of your verdict,” he concluded.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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