After pro-Kannada organisation Kannada Rakshana Vedike (KRV) urged Bengaluru City Police to deny permission for Sonu Nigam’s concert in the city, the singer has apologised to Kannadigas and the concert is set to go ahead as planned on October 24.
KRV president TA Narayana Gowda had said Sonu’s comments during a concert in Bengaluru in 2025 had hurt the sentiments of Kannadigas and they had “not forgotten the wound”. The organisation warned of protests if the concert was allowed to happen.
Sonu's Pahalgam remark
During that concert, a member of the audience had requested Sonu to sing a Kannada song and the singer responded by comparing the request to Pahalgam terror attack.
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“The best songs I have sung are in Kannada… I didn’t like it when a boy asked me to sing in Kannada. He was so rudely threatening, ‘Kannada, Kannada’. This is the reason for the Pahalgam attack,” he said.
Following his remarks, KRV had registered a complaint against Sonu at Avalahalli police station in May 2025.
What Sonu said now
Now, in a video message, Sonu apologised to Kannadigas and said he had “a very warm and respectful discussion” with KRV chief Gowda
“When you love someone and want the relationship to stay, you don’t mind saying sorry a thousand times,” Sonu said in the video.
“So, my dear family, if anything I’ve said inadvertently has hurt you, I’m so sorry for it. You know I’m not the kind of person who would ever hurt anyone, and least (of all), my family from Karnataka. You have given me so much love and respect over the last 30 years, and I don’t want any little misunderstanding to taint that relationship or cause any bitterness,” he added.
Gowda accepts singer’s apology
Gowda said Sonu spoke to him and he has accepted his apology and KRV would “end the fight” with the singer now.
“Singer Sonu Nigam spoke to me today. He understood how a statement he made earlier hurt the Kannadigas. He said that he would apologise unconditionally. I have said it before, we all loved Sonu Nigam’s songs. We personally had no hatred or resentment towards him. But we were unable to digest that one statement. Our anger and protest were natural for that. Now he has apologised. It is good to end this here. It is the generosity and culture of Kannadigas to forgive those who have apologised,” Gowda said.
“Karnataka Rakshana Vedike will end its fight against Sonu Nigam here. This should be a lesson to all those who speak lightly about Kannada. I am personally a music lover. Music is the medicine that makes a person forget all the sufferings. May Sonu Nigam conduct more programmes in Karnataka and sing more melodious Kannada songs. May love win,” he added.