Singer Sonu Nigam has apologised to the people of Karnataka for comparing demands to sing Kannada songs with the Pahalgam terror attack. The singer issued the apology after speaking with Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) state president TA Narayana Gowda.
On October 19, Gowda shared Sonu's apology video on X, saying the singer had understood how his earlier remarks had hurt Kannadigas and had offered an unconditional apology.
ಗಾಯಕ ಸೋನು ನಿಗಮ್ ಇಂದು ನನ್ನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮಾತಾಡಿದರು. ತಾವು ಹಿಂದೆ ಮಾಡಿದ ಒಂದು ಮಾತು ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರನ್ನು ಹೇಗೆ ನೋಯಿಸಿದೆ ಎಂಬುದು ಅವರಿಗೆ ಅರ್ಥವಾಗಿದೆ. ಬೇಷರತ್ತಾಗಿ ಕ್ಷಮೆ ಯಾಚಿಸುವುದಾಗಿ ಅವರು ಹೇಳಿದರು. ನಾನು ಹಿಂದೆಯೂ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ನಾವೆಲ್ಲರೂ ಸೋನು ನಿಗಮ್ ಅವರ ಹಾಡುಗಳನ್ನು ಇಷ್ಟಪಟ್ಟವರು. ಅವರ ಕುರಿತು ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕವಾಗಿ ಯಾವ ದ್ವೇಷ, ಮುನಿಸು ನಮಗೆ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಆ ಒಂದು ಮಾತನ್ನು ಅರಗಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ನಮ್ಮಿಂದ ಆಗಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಅದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಪ್ರತಿಭಟನೆ, ಆಕ್ರೋಶ ಸಹಜವಾಗೆ ಇತ್ತು. ಇದೀಗ ಅವರು ಕ್ಷಮೆ ಯಾಚಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಇದನ್ನು ಮುಗಿಸುವುದು ಒಳ್ಳೆಯದು. ಕ್ಷಮೆ ಕೇಳಿದವರನ್ನು ಕ್ಷಮಿಸುವುದು ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರ ಔದಾರ್ಯ, ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ. ಘಂಟಸಾಲ, ಪಿ ಬಿ. ಶ್ರೀನಿವಾಸ್, ಯೇಸುದಾಸ್, ಎಸ್. ಜಾನಕಿ, ವಾಣಿ ಜಯರಾಮ್, ಚಿತ್ರಾ ಹೀಗೆ ಅದ್ಭುತ ಗಾಯಕರು ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರಲ್ಲದೆ ಇದ್ದರೂ ನಾವು ಅವರನ್ನು ಅಪಾರವಾಗಿ ಪ್ರೀತಿಸಿದ್ದೇವೆ. ಅವರು ನಮ್ಮ ಕನ್ನಡ ಚಿತ್ರಸಂಗೀತವನ್ನು ಶ್ರೀಮಂತಗೊಳಿಸಿದ ಮಹಾನುಭಾವರು. ಆ ಕೃತಜ್ಞತೆ ಸದಾ ಇರುತ್ತದೆ. ಸೋನು ನಿಗಮ್ ಕೂಡ ಇದೇ ಸಾಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಬರುವ ಮಹಾ ಗಾಯಕರಲ್ಲಿ ಒಬ್ಬರು. ಈ ಕಹಿಘಟನೆಯನ್ನು ಮರೆತುಬಿಡೋಣ. ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಕ್ಷಣಾ ವೇದಿಕೆ ಈ ಹೋರಾಟವನ್ನು ಇಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಇದು ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಒಂದು ಪಾಠ. ನಾನು ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕವಾಗಿ ಸಂಗೀತ ಪ್ರೇಮಿ. ಸಂಗೀತ ಮನುಷ್ಯನ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಸಂಕಟಗಳನ್ನು ಮರೆಸುವ ಸಂಜೀವಿನಿ. ಸೋನು ಅವರು ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಕನ್ನಡ ಗೀತೆಗಳನ್ನು ಹಾಡಲಿ, ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ನೆಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮಗಳು ನಡೆಯಲಿ. ಸಂಗೀತ ನಮ್ಮ ಬದುಕನ್ನು ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಸಹನೀಯ ಗೊಳಿಸಲಿ, ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಗೆಲ್ಲಲಿ.
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— ನಾರಾಯಣಗೌಡ್ರು.ಟಿ.ಎ | Narayanagowdru T.A. (@narayanagowdru) October 19, 2026
In the video, Sonu addressed the people of Karnataka as his family and spoke about his conversation with Gowda. He said, “My dear Karnataka family, Thanna Kannadigaru. My truth is known to me, my Almighty, my Bhagwan, and to all the people who were there in the audience that eventful evening. Nevertheless, I've had a beautiful chat with Shri Narayana Gowda ji. He's a wonderful person, and we've had a very warm and, uh, respectful discussion. I have a lot of regard for him.”
Explaining his apology, the singer said, “When you love someone, and you want the relationship to stay, you don't mind saying sorry 1000 times. So my dear family, if anything I've said inadvertently that has hurt you, I am so sorry for it.”
He further said, “You know I'm not the kind of person who's ever hurt anyone, at least my family from Karnataka. You have given me so much love and so much respect in the last 30 years that I don't want any kind of little misunderstanding taint that relationship and cause any kind of bitterness. Lots of love to all of you. May God bless you, and I love you.”
Watch: "When you love someone and want the relationship to last, you don't mind saying sorry a thousand times" Singer Sonu Nigam apologises to Kannadigas over Pahalgam remark "So, my dear family, 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. You have given me so much love and respect over the last 30 years, and I don't want any small misunderstanding to taint that relationship or cause any bitterness," he adds (Source: Selfmade)
— IANS (@ians_india) October 19, 2026
KRV Calls Off Protest
Following the apology, Narayana Gowda said KRV would call off its protest. He said there was no personal animosity towards Sonu and highlighted the singer's long association with audiences in Karnataka.
Gowda also recalled singers Ghantasala, PB Srinivas, Yesudas, S Janaki, Vani Jairam and KS Chithra. While they were not Kannadigas, he noted that they had contributed to Kannada film music and were loved by audiences in the state. He expressed hope that Sonu would sing more Kannada songs and continue performing in Karnataka.
Sonu is scheduled to perform as part of The Revolution India Tour at 7 pm on October 24 at Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru on Thanisandra Main Road.
What Sonu Nigam Said In 2025
The controversy began in April 2025, when Sonu performed at East Point Engineering College in Bengaluru. Some audience members repeatedly asked him to sing in Kannada, following which he made the remark that sparked the backlash.
Sonu said, “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.”
The statement drew criticism from Kannadigas and pro-Kannada organisations. KRV later filed a complaint against the singer at Avalahalli police station in Bengaluru, following which an FIR was registered against him.
Sonu subsequently clarified that he was referring to the behaviour of a few people in the audience who had been aggressive while demanding a Kannada song. He maintained that his remark was not directed at Kannadigas as a whole.
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