Sonu Nigam apologises to Kannadigas over Pahalgam remark; KRV calls off protest

BENGALURU: Playback singer Sonu Nigam has apologised to the people of Karnataka over his controversial remarks comparing an audience member’s demand for a Kannada song to the Pahalgam terror attack. The apology comes ahead of his scheduled concert in Bengaluru on October 24, 2026, after which the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) called off its planned protest against the singer.

In a video message, Sonu Nigam said he was willing to apologise a thousand times to preserve his relationship with Kannadigas. “When you love someone and want the relationship to last, you don’t mind saying sorry a thousand times,” he said in Kannada at the beginning of the video. Addressing his fans, he added, “My dear family, if anything I have said unintentionally has hurt you, I sincerely apologise. You know that I would never want to hurt anyone, especially my family in Karnataka. You have given me immense love and respect over the past 30 years. I do not want a small misunderstanding to tarnish that relationship or create bitterness between us.”

The controversy dates back to April 25, 2025, when Sonu Nigam performed at East Point College of Engineering in Bengaluru. During the performance, an audience member asked him to sing a Kannada song. The singer reportedly responded that some of the best songs he had sung were in Kannada. He later alleged that the audience member repeatedly shouted “Kannada, Kannada” at him in a threatening tone. Sonu Nigam compared the behaviour to the mentality behind the Pahalgam terror attack, triggering criticism from Kannadigas and pro-Kannada organisations.

Ahead of the singer’s upcoming concert, KRV state president T. A. Narayana Gowda urged the Bengaluru police commissioner to deny permission for the event and warned of protests over Nigam’s earlier remarks. Following a conversation with Gowda, the singer issued his latest apology, after which KRV announced that it would call off its planned protest. The concert is scheduled to take place on October 24, 2026, at Bharatiya Mall on Thanisandra Main Road in Bengaluru.