Hemavathy M N
At a recent concert, when a young Kannadiga requested a song in his mother tongue, a not unusual or hostile act, a plea. Sonu didn’t just refuse. He rebuked the youth, drawing a shocking comparison to the Pahalgam terror attack. A song request, in Karnataka, for a Kannada song was likened to a terrorist attack. Let that sink in.
This wasn’t just tone-deaf. It was a failure of grace. No, the young man was not right to be rude, but an artist’s strength is measured in moments of tension, not applause. And Sonu Nigam, a senior artist with decades of goodwill in Karnataka, faltered badly.
Karnataka has always welcomed talent from across India. Sonu himself was offered a stage here before many knew his name in the North. But hospitality should never be mistaken for silence.
Sonu Nigam once sang in Kannada with the ease of someone who felt at home. Kannadigas admired him, not just as a voice from the North, but as one of their own. Which is why what happened in Bengaluru wasn’t a trivial misunderstanding. It was deeply hurtful, from someone this land had embraced.
His longevity and body of work deserve respect. But longevity cannot demand subservience. Neither can it shield anyone from accountability. The statement, “He’s not even as old as my career,” reeks of entitlement, not grace.
Speaking to NDC , Music Director Milind Dharmasena said: “There’s no dearth of talent in Karnataka. We have better singers than Sonu Nigam. He’s pulled in mostly for publicity. I have scored music for four Kannada films, never sourced singers from outside. L.N. Shastry, Nandita, Vijay Prakash, Meghana Kulkarni,who sang for me were all local, all brilliant. The songs and music were well received by the Kannada audience irrespective of the fate of the movie. That tells you everything. Producers need to stop splurging on outsiders and start supporting local talent. A non-Kannadiga singer can’t bring out the feeling in some words the way a local can. It’s time people stop being dazzled and start going vocal for local.”
When you hold a mic, you have a responsibility. The same voice that lifts can also wound.
Kannada is one of the world’s oldest languages, rich, classical, and alive in every street of this so-called ‘IT hub.’ From Samarasa nyaya to Navodaya poetry, we have held on, proudly and silently earning eight Jnanpith Awards.
Kannadigas have long memories. We don’t cancel. We don’t threaten. But when we are wounded, we remember. We Kannadigas will forgive, that’s who we are, yet the echo of this moment will linger.
