By Kavita Mistry 
Singer Sonu Nigam is facing backlash from the Kannada film industry following his recent comments at a concert in Bengaluru. The fallout from the controversy has led to his song being removed from the upcoming Kannada film Kuladalli Keelyavudo, despite him issuing a public apology.
The incident occurred during a concert in Bengaluru, where Sonu reportedly ignored a student’s repeated request for him to sing a Kannada song. Instead, he made a controversial remark: “This is why the Pahalgam incident happened.” The statement did not sit well with many Kannadigas, and the clip quickly went viral on social media.
The Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) responded by urging the industry to stop working with Sonu Nigam. Soon after, the makers of Kuladalli Keelyavudo confirmed that the song sung by Sonu, titled Manasu Haadtade, would be removed from the film.
In a statement shared by the film’s production team, they said, “There is no doubt that Sonu Nigam is a good singer. But, we are very upset by how he spoke about Kannada recently at a concert. We cannot tolerate the insult Sonu Nigam has done to Kannada, so we have removed the song.”
The film is directed by K Ramnarayan, with music composed by Manomurthy and lyrics by Yogaraj Bhat. The track, Manasu Haadtade, had received a warm response from fans when it was released a month ago. It is still available on Sonu Nigam’s official YouTube channel.
Now, the song will be re-recorded with singer Chethan, who has been brought in to replace Sonu’s vocals. The film’s producer, Santosh Kumar, also announced that he will no longer collaborate with Sonu Nigam on any future projects.
Following the backlash, Sonu Nigam took to Instagram to express his regret. In a message to his fans and the people of Karnataka, he wrote, “Sorry Karnataka. My love for you is bigger than my pride. Love you always.”
Despite the apology, the controversy continues to stir strong emotions within the Kannada film fraternity.
See Also: Here’s What Happened When a Fan Interrupted Sonu Nigam’s Performance