'Sorry Karnataka!' Sonu Nigam apologises for his remarks at Bengaluru concert: 'My love for you is bigger than my ego'

Following strong criticism over his comments at a recent Bengaluru concert, Sonu Nigam has issued an apology. After initially sharing a clarification on Instagram, the singer returned to social media to express regret, stating that his love for Karnataka is not bigger than any pride or ego.
Sonu Nigam apologises
The singer took to Instagram to apologize, saying, “Sorry Karnataka. My love for you is bigger than my ego. Love you always." This apology followed his earlier clarification addressing the controversy. In that statement, he emphasized his longstanding respect and admiration for the language, culture, music, and artists not just in Karnataka but around the world.
Nigam expressed that he values his Kannada songs greatly, even more than his Hindi tracks. He mentioned that he always includes a set of Kannada songs lasting over an hour in his performances in Karnataka. However, he claimed that during the concert, a fan humiliated him and a young person, whom he described as being about his son’s age, threatened him.

He wrote on Instagram, "I am not a young lad to take humiliation from anyone. I am 51 years old, in the second half of my life and am entitled to take offence for someone as young as my son threatening me directly in front of thousands in the name of a language that too Kannada, which is my second language when it comes to my work. That, too, right after my first song of the concert!"
"I leave it upto the sensible people of Karnataka to decide who is at fault here. I will accept your verdict gracefully. I fully respect and trust the law agencies and Police of Karnataka and will comply with whatever is expected from me. I have received divine love from Karnataka and will cherish it always with no malice whatsoever, irrespective of your verdict," he concluded.
Controversy and FIR
For those unfamiliar, the controversy began on April 25, 2025, at East Point College, when Sonu Nigam reportedly declined a fan’s request to sing a Kannada song and mentioned the Pahalgam terror attack in his reply. This led to an FIR being filed against him on May 3 for allegedly making offensive remarks about the Kannadiga community. Subsequently, the Bengaluru District Police issued a formal notice asking Sonu to appear before the investigating officer within a week to address the charges.
Kannada Film Industry Boycott
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce declared that the Kannada film industry, also known as Sandalwood, will cease all collaborations and involvement with Sonu Nigam in any upcoming projects.