Sonu Nigam 'thanks' IIFA, says award answerable to Rajasthan bureaucracy

Veteran playback singer Sonu Nigam has publicly criticised the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards 2025 for overlooking his popular track "Mere Dholna 3.0" in the Best Playback Singer (Male) category nominations.

Taking to Instagram, Nigam posted a screenshot of the nominees list, which included Arijit Singh, Karan Aujla, Diljit Dosanjh, Baadshah, Jubin Nautiyal, and Mitraz, with Nautiyal ultimately winning the award.

"Thank you IIFA... After all you were answerable to the Rajasthan bureaucracy," Nigam wrote sarcastically, using "Mere Dholna 3.0" as the background music for his post.

The singer's frustration may be connected to a recent incident where Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma departed from his concert midway. Following that event, Nigam had requested politicians to avoid attending performances if they couldn't stay for the duration.

Fellow musician Amaal Malik supported Nigam's grievance, commenting, "Such is the world that we live in...Mazaak banake rakh diya hai (They have made it a joke)."

Despite these setbacks, Nigam recently performed at Rashtrapati Bhavan shortly after suffering from severe back spasms. He had shared videos showing him performing through his ailment.

Fans have rallied behind the singer, with many commenting that his talents exceed formal recognition at award ceremonies.