Sonu Nigam recently performed his first-ever live concert in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
The event became widely discussed for both audience turnout and a gesture of respect.
Midway through the concert, Sonu paused his performance for the azaan (Islamic call to prayer).
He addressed the audience, saying:
“Please give me two minutes; the azaan is about to begin here.”
The crowd responded with cheers and applause, appreciating his sensitivity.
After the azaan concluded, he resumed his performance seamlessly.
Audience Turnout and Boycott Buzz
Reports indicate the concert at SK international Conference Centre (SKICC) near Dal Lake did not meet expectations.
A sparse audience noted despite the anticipation of a full house.
Deccan Herald quoted a local:
“There was expectation that it would be house full, but most of the chairs were empty.”
Observers linked the low turnout to resurfaced boycott calls over Sonu Nigam’s old tweets regarding the azaan.
Controversy Over 2017 Tweets
In 2017, sonu nigam faced backlash for criticizing loudspeakers used for the azaan.
His tweets included:
“God bless everyone. I’m not a Muslim, and I have to be woken up by the azaan in the morning. When will this forced religiousness end in India?”
“And by the way, Mohammed did not have electricity when he made Islam. Why do I have to have this cacophony after Edison? I don’t believe in any temple or gurudwara using electricity to wake up people who don’t follow the religion. Why then..? Honest? True? Gundagardi hai bus.”
The tweets resurfaced ahead of the concert, reviving public criticism and boycott calls.
These old tweets have been removed from his X (formerly Twitter) profile, but the controversy continued to affect his concert turnout.
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