Two years ago, the popular Bollywood playback singer had accused T-Series of being a music mafia. T-Series head honcho Bhushan Kumar’s wife Divya Khosla Kumar didn’t mince words in slamming the singer then.
By Mayur Lookhar
Nothing is constant in the film industry. Necessity can reunite foes too. Two years ago, Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam had created a storm with his Instagram vlog posts wherein he had labelled T-Series as one of the two music mafias in the industry. That wasn’t all, in another post, Nigam had taken personal digs at T-Series head honcho Bhushan Kumar.
But it looks like all this is a matter of the past as the popular versatile singer reunited with T-Series for a couple of songs in Laal Singh Chaddha [2022]. T-Series had released the Kahani song – Sonu’s version from the Aamir Khan-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha yesterday. The song has largely received positive reviews. However, we were reminded of the Sonu Nigam and T-Series feud two years ago.
Post Sushant Singh Rajput’s death by suicide in 2020, Sonu Nigam had expressed concerns over the treatment of new comers in the industry. The singer had called for the industry to change its ways to avoid any such tragedy in the future. He didn’t name Bhushan Kumar in his first video, [that’s not to be found now]. Offended by it, T-Series had issued a press release condemning the mafia taunt by Nigam. In his second video, the singer had then made some stunning disclosures as to how Bhushan Kumar had sought Nigam’s help over fears of don Abu Salem [currently languishing in a Mumbai jail] threatening him.
Nigam then went personal, too, speaking about the alleged sexual exploitation allegation against Kumar by one starlet Marina Kuwar. Nigam had claimed to be in possession of some video and had threatened to expose Kumar if he tried to mess with him again. Watch the video below.
Nigam’s sensational video had led to actor and Bhushan Kumars’s wife Divya Khosla Kumar coming down hard on the singer. That video is no longer to be found on Divya’s official Instagram account. Rubbishing his allegations, Divya had questioned Nigam whether he has links to the underworld. She reminded Nigam how it was her late father-in-law Gulshan Kumar who had given him the big career break. She also revealed that the music label had given breaks to many a singers but Nigam hasn’t given a break to anyone. Nigam has largely kept a low profile since T-Series preferred other new-age singers over the veteran.
Gulshan Kumar was gunned down by assailants on 12 August, 1997 outside a temple in Andheri, Mumbai. Subsequent investigations revealed that the music mogul was killed by members of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s gang at the behest of composer, singer Nadeem Saifi, who had fled to the United Kingdom. Saifi was later acquitted by courts in London. He hasn’t returned to India since the tragedy.
It looks like the sparring artistes have put the ugly episode behind them and buried the hatchet. Nigam has two songs in Laal Singh Chaddha – Kahani and Main Karaan. These songs will certainly be music to the ears of fans, and also Nigam and the Kumars. Laal Singh Chaddha is set to be released on 11 August.
Beyond Bollywood 