This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.

Sonu Nigam Has Been Banned By Zee Network And His Fans Are Furious

Sonu Nigam And Zee Network Have Locked Horns In An All-Out Twitter War
India's current number one Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam performs at during a two city national tour to fans at Durban's International Convention Centre on April, 05 2008.Nigam dubbed as the ' Golden Boy of Indipop' has close to 25 film songs that have been super hits from the hundreds and been number one on the charts internationally.He is an actor, composer, lyricist, singer, a television and celebrity judge for some of the reality shows on television all over the world.He sings in 7 different Indian languages such as Hindi,Tamil,Telugu,Kannada,Bengali,Marathi and Punjabi.He has toured several countries such as the States,United Kingdom,Germany,United Arab Emirates,Australia,Afghanistan,the Carabean and others.He is also set to release an album of 18 songs with the City of Birmingham Orchestra in London in May.He has won close to 30 national and international awards as an artist in the multi billion dollar Bollywood music industry,the largest in the world.AFP PHOTO/RAJESH JANTILAL (Photo credit should read RAJESH JANTILAL/AFP/Getty Images)
RAJESH JANTILAL via Getty Images
India's current number one Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam performs at during a two city national tour to fans at Durban's International Convention Centre on April, 05 2008.Nigam dubbed as the ' Golden Boy of Indipop' has close to 25 film songs that have been super hits from the hundreds and been number one on the charts internationally.He is an actor, composer, lyricist, singer, a television and celebrity judge for some of the reality shows on television all over the world.He sings in 7 different Indian languages such as Hindi,Tamil,Telugu,Kannada,Bengali,Marathi and Punjabi.He has toured several countries such as the States,United Kingdom,Germany,United Arab Emirates,Australia,Afghanistan,the Carabean and others.He is also set to release an album of 18 songs with the City of Birmingham Orchestra in London in May.He has won close to 30 national and international awards as an artist in the multi billion dollar Bollywood music industry,the largest in the world.AFP PHOTO/RAJESH JANTILAL (Photo credit should read RAJESH JANTILAL/AFP/Getty Images)

Sonu Nigam isn't a name one often associates with controversies on Twitter. But on Wednesday afternoon, an all-out war between the 41-year-old singer and Zee Network launched a hashtag β€” #IStandWithSonuNigam β€” which trended at the number 1 position in India.

It all started on Monday, when Nigam posted this tweet.

I am far from politics but I feel this truth should come out for the sake of my poet friend Kumar Vishwas. https://t.co/E4QWJrgg6c

β€” Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 26, 2015

The video linked to the tweet, published on April 23, contradicts a news report by Zee News, which shows Aam Aadmi Party leader Dr Kumar Vishwas speaking at the infamous rally where Gajender Singh, a poor farmer from Rajasthan, hung himself from a tree nearby.

The video tweeted out by Nigam purported to show that Zee News had overdubbed a second voice asking 'Latak gaya?' ('Has he been hung/hung himself?') and deliberately misattributed it to Vishwas.

Nigam justified his political stance on the issue in a series of tweets later.

Glad 2 see a nice response 2 my tweet last night. My duty is 2 be rational. True 2 what I see. Irrespective of d party or d person.

β€” Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 27, 2015

It's a simple case of some1 close 2 d cameras uttering those words. Not mischievously but by chance perhaps. It's only fair, 2 be fair. Love

β€” Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 27, 2015

However, one day later, some ominous news surfaced. Noted film trade analyst Komal Nahta tweeted from his personal account that Zee Music company had, for all intents and purposes, black-listed the singer.

Heard, Zee Music Co. will not buy music with Sonu Nigam’s songs. Reason unknown. The singer would be replaced in their forthcoming films.

β€” Komal Nahta (@KomalNahta) April 28, 2015

Nigam responded to the news with bemusement.

So now Zee announces a ban on me. :) What do I say.. God bless everyone.

β€” Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 28, 2015

Wonder should it not be illegal to ban someone on the pretext of nothing in a democracy? Influencing others to not work with an individual.

β€” Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 28, 2015

Well legal or illegal, one thing's for sure. Banning someone, is definitely unGodly.

β€” Sonu Nigam (@sonunigam) April 28, 2015

His fans on Twitter have taken this reaction very, very seriously and have offered their full support to the singer.

I am blocking @ZeeNews@ZeeNewsHindi on twitter. Lets show your protest by blocking them. Block their channels too. #IStandWithSonuNigam

β€” ΰ€­ΰ€―ΰ€‚ΰ€•ΰ€° ΰ€²ΰ₯‹ΰ€— (@BhayankarLog) April 29, 2015

Zee has forgottn that @sonunigam dznt need them,they need him.The power of his gifted voice needs no buyers,no sponsors #IStandWithSonuNigam

β€” abdi (@beingabdihanan) April 29, 2015

There are very Rare Known faces in india who stand by with Truth...I salute your guts @sonunigam#IStandWithSonuNigam@DrKumarVishwas

β€” Ankita Shah (@Ankita_Shah8) April 29, 2015

Music composer and fellow singer Vishal Dadlani also offered his support.

#IStandWithSonuNigam . Banning an artist of the calibre of @sonunigam for expressing a fair and justified view, is absolutely disgraceful!

β€” VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) April 29, 2015

There has, however, been no official response from the Zee Group about the incident or about any decision to drop Nigam from its films.

Contact HuffPost India

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.