Singer Sonu Nigam has apologised to Kannadigas over his April 2025 Pahalgam remark, days before his Bengaluru concert on October 24. In a video message, he said he valued the love and respect he has received from Karnataka over the past three decades and would not mind saying sorry “a thousand times” to protect that relationship. According to a Kerala Kaumudi report, the pro-Kannada group Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) called off its planned protest after the apology.
What Sonu Nigam said in his apology
Speaking in Kannada at the start of the video, Sonu Nigam said that when you love someone and want a relationship to last, you do not mind saying sorry a thousand times. He then said: “If anything I’ve said inadvertently has hurt you, I’m so sorry. You know I’m not the kind of person who would ever hurt anyone, especially my family from Karnataka.”
He added that he did not want a misunderstanding to leave bitterness between him and his Kannada-speaking fans, and spoke of the affection he has received from the state for about 30 years.
What triggered the Pahalgam remark row?
The controversy dates back to April 2025, when Sonu Nigam was performing at East Point College in Bengaluru. An audience member asked him to sing in Kannada. According to The News Minute, the singer responded: “This is the reason for the Pahalgam attack.”
Pro-Kannada groups said the comment linked a request for a Kannada song with a terror attack and insulted Kannadigas. KRV says it filed a complaint at Avalahalli police station on May 2, 2025.
KRV demand to deny concert permission
On October 15, 2026, KRV asked the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner to deny, or revoke, permission for the concert and warned of statewide protests if it went ahead. The singer is scheduled to perform at 7 pm on October 24 at Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru, Thanisandra Main Road, as part of The Revolution India Tour, organised by ITW Playworx.
Protest called off, concert status
After the apology, KRV called off its planned protest, following a conversation between KRV state president T. A. Narayana Gowda and the singer, as reported by Kerala Kaumudi. The report does not mention any decision by the Bengaluru police on the concert permission, so the event is understood to be going ahead as scheduled, though fans should watch for official updates.
Why language remains a sensitive issue in Karnataka
Kannada is closely tied to regional identity, literature, cinema and music in Karnataka, and requests to performers to sing in the language are common at public events. Remarks that seem to equate such a request with something threatening can therefore trigger strong reactions, especially when they reference a national tragedy like the Pahalgam attack.
What happens next
With the protest withdrawn, attention shifts to the October 24 show in Bengaluru. Whether the apology fully settles the dispute among all sections of Kannada-speaking audiences remains to be seen.
Sources: The News Minute, Kerala Kaumudi, Bollywood Hungama, Free Press Journal.
