Sonu Nigam humiliated by organiser after UP concert

Feb 25, 2013 IANS

Mumbai, Feb 25 (IANS) Singer Sonu Nigam, who was at a show at a college in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad city Saturday night, is upset after the organiser, the college owner humiliated him post concert by not letting him leave to catch his flight from Delhi despite repeated requests.

"I was not supposed to go for the show as my mom was in a critical condition and despite that I went and performed for three hours as I had given a commitment but I was completely zapped with the behavior of Manish Jain who is the college owner," the singer told reporters here Monday.

"After the concert I had to leave for Delhi to catch the 4 a.m. flight and he (Jain) was just not letting us go as he was getting his friends and family to click the pictures with me.

"I patiently clicked the pictures and when I said my mom is unwell and I had to leave, he started saying he had spent Rs.50 lakh for the show and would not let him (Nigam) leave till he clicked pictures with everyone," he added.

Jain is the group vice chairman of Teerthanker Mahaveer University where Nigam performed.

Nigam, who patiently continued to click pictures with everyone till 1.25 a.m., said he was extremely upset. He said people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar need to change their mind set and this is one of the reasons why artistes avoid concerts in these states.

"Police there were helpless and I could see 'sorry' in the eyes of policemen. I am from UP myself and I don't have anything against anybody but mindset of people over there needs to be changed. Why do you think there are no shows happening in Bihar," he said

Despite this entire incident, Nigam says he is no mood to lodge a case.

"I did not overreact that time but had things gone worse there, then I would have gone ahead. The idea is that I want people to know how artistes are treated at times. My intention is that artistes should be respected because we are here to entertain you," said the 39-year-old.