Sonu Nigam defends Pahalgam remark at Bengaluru concert, cites verbal abuse
Synopsis
Sonu Nigam has broken his silence on the 2025 Bengaluru concert row, revealing that his Pahalgam reference was triggered by explicit verbal abuse from the audience — and a heartbreaking video of a Karnataka man killed in the attack. With KRV now threatening to block his upcoming Bengaluru show, the explanation may have arrived too late to prevent fresh protests.
Key Takeaways
Sonu Nigam addressed Kannadigas in a lengthy social media post on 15 October 2026 , defending his Pahalgam attack reference at a 2025 Bengaluru college concert .
He cited a video of Manjunath Rao — a Karnataka man killed in the Pahalgam terror attack — as the emotional trigger for his remark.
Nigam alleged he faced verbal abuse from the very first song and said his Pahalgam reference was a response to what he called 'hateful separatist elements.' He addressed pro-Kannada outfit KRV directly, saying its anger was based on an incomplete account and urging it to verify events with audience members present.
KRV is reportedly seeking to block Nigam's upcoming Bengaluru concert and has threatened protests if permission is granted.
Nigam noted he has contributed to Kannada music and culture for 30 years and said he has never refused to perform in Karnataka.
Singer Sonu Nigam has revisited a controversy stemming from a 2025 Bengaluru college concert, clarifying in a lengthy social media post that his reference to the Pahalgam terror attack was a direct response to verbal abuse he allegedly received from a section of the audience — not an unprovoked remark. The post, addressed to Kannadigas, comes ahead of an upcoming Bengaluru concert that pro-Kannada outfit KRV is reportedly seeking to stop.
The Video That Triggered the Response
At the centre of Nigam's explanation is a video of Manjunath Rao, a Karnataka resident, and his wife Pallavi enjoying a shikara ride on Dal Lake shortly before Rao was killed in the Pahalgam terror attack. Nigam wrote that seeing the video moved him deeply: 'Like every Indian, I cried seeing this video where he and his wife announce proudly that he's from Karnataka and praising their Kashmir experience. Little did they know that in just a few minutes he will be gunned down because he's a Hindu! The fact that he's a Kannadiga, won't come to his rescue.'
He maintained that invoking Pahalgam was his way of reminding what he called 'hateful separatist elements' of the violence that had claimed an innocent Karnataka man's life just two weeks before the concert.
What Nigam Says Happened on Stage
According to the singer, the abuse — which he described in explicit terms in his post — began from the very first song. He noted that the event was a college show, not a ticketed concert, and said he had gone prepared with an hour and a half of Kannada songs. 'I'm sure none of you would tolerate abuses like Nin Amma, Nin Akka in real life from anyone,' he wrote, arguing that his response was measured under the circumstances.
Nigam also defended his Kannada music credentials, stating he had contributed to Kannada music and culture for 30 years and stressed that he has never declined to perform in Karnataka despite generally avoiding underfunded college events.
His Message to KRV
Addressing pro-Kannada organisation KRV directly, Nigam acknowledged its affection for Kannada and Kannadigas but argued that its anger was based on an incomplete account of events. 'Your anger is justified because you were not there to witness what really happened,' he wrote, urging the group to speak to members of the audience who he claimed were themselves embarrassed by the abuse.
He also appealed to concertgoers to validate his account, adding, 'Please go and speak to the audiences there, how embarrassed they were when I was being abused!'
Background: How the Controversy Began
The original row erupted in April 2025 when Nigam, performing at a Bengaluru college, linked demands for a Kannada song to the Pahalgam terror attack. Pro-Kannada groups, led by KRV, criticised the remarks as insensitive and inappropriate, triggering a public backlash. The controversy had largely subsided until Nigam's latest post brought it back into the spotlight.
Reportedly, KRV is now seeking to prevent his upcoming Bengaluru show and has threatened protests if authorities grant permission. Nigam appeared unmoved, noting, 'I don't have any need of working or singing or performing. I have made enough money in the last 49 years of being in the profession.'
Whether the renewed explanation defuses tensions with KRV or hardens them ahead of the concert remains to be seen.
Point of View
Emotional appeal, and self-defence — but it sidesteps the central criticism: that invoking a terror attack mid-concert, regardless of provocation, escalates rather than de-escalates. The real question is not whether he was abused, but whether linking that abuse to Pahalgam was proportionate or inflammatory. That KRV's anger is now directed at blocking an entire show suggests the explanation has landed as further provocation, not clarification. For Nigam, a 49-year career vouched for in his own post, the optics of relitigating this publicly — timed, coincidentally or not, to an imminent concert — raise as many questions as they answer.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Sonu Nigam refer to the Pahalgam attack at a Bengaluru concert?
Nigam says he mentioned the Pahalgam attack in response to verbal abuse he allegedly received from a section of the audience during the college concert in Bengaluru in April 2025. He cited a video of Manjunath Rao, a Karnataka man killed in the attack, as the emotional reason behind his reference, saying he wanted to remind what he called 'hateful separatist elements' of the violence that had claimed innocent lives.
Who is Manjunath Rao and what is his connection to this controversy?
Manjunath Rao was a Karnataka resident killed in the Pahalgam terror attack. Nigam shared a video of Rao and his wife Pallavi enjoying a shikara ride on Dal Lake shortly before Rao was shot dead. Nigam said watching this video moved him deeply and was the direct catalyst for his on-stage reference to the attack.
What is KRV and why is it upset with Sonu Nigam?
KRV is a pro-Kannada organisation that criticised Nigam for linking the Pahalgam attack to demands for a Kannada song at his 2025 concert. It reportedly considers his remarks insensitive and is now seeking to block his upcoming Bengaluru concert, threatening protests if authorities grant permission. Nigam, in his post, acknowledged KRV's affection for Kannada but argued its anger was based on an incomplete account of the concert incident.
What did Sonu Nigam say about his history with Kannada music?
Nigam defended his credentials by stating he has contributed to Kannada music and culture for 30 years and that he prepares an hour and a half of Kannada songs for his Karnataka concerts. He also said he has never refused to perform in Karnataka, even though he generally avoids underfunded college shows.
What happens next with Sonu Nigam's Bengaluru concert?
KRV is reportedly seeking to prevent Nigam's upcoming Bengaluru concert and has threatened protests if authorities grant permission for the event. Whether Nigam's public explanation diffuses or intensifies the standoff remains unclear as of 15 October 2026.
