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Adnan Sami calls backlash over Indian citizenship “ex-lover syndrome,” saying critics haven’t moved on. Says his issue was with Pakistan’s govt, not people.
Singer Adnan Sami has opened up about the criticism he continues to face for renouncing Pakistani citizenship and becoming an Indian.
Renowned singer-composer Adnan Sami may have embraced Indian citizenship nearly a decade ago, but his decision continues to attract a barrage of online criticism, especially from across the border. Despite having moved to India in 2001 and being granted Indian citizenship in 2016, the UK-born artist—who once held Pakistani and Canadian citizenship—says he’s still being reminded of where he “originally came from.”
In a recent conversation with Bollywood Bubble, the Tera Chehra hitmaker opened up about the lingering hate he receives on social media, especially from Pakistan. Comparing it to an emotionally unresolved breakup, Adnan said, “It’s like an ex-lover. When an ex-lover sees you moving on and getting involved with somebody else, they’ll always come up with reasons to hate you. But the reason why they actually do that is because they still haven’t gotten over you. It’s love, and love manifests in many absurd ways.”
He described the backlash as a “classic case of sour grapes,” explaining that the resentment stems from a place of jealousy rather than rationality, “It is ridiculous for anyone from anywhere to presume that they know what the reasons were behind it. There were solid reasons.”
While migration across borders is a common phenomenon globally, Sami believes the criticism aimed at him is unique to the India-Pakistan rivalry, “At the end of the day, you can argue and say, ‘People are migrating all over the world all the time. Why don’t they have issues with them?’ First of all, because of the geopolitical nature between India and Pakistan, there is a rivalry between the two for whatever reason. But more than that, it is the ex-lover syndrome.”
Addressing the frequently blurred lines between the people and the political leadership of Pakistan, Adnan drew a distinction, “That’s just the tip of the iceberg. However, let me make it very clear, my audience and people over there have always been very loving. And they still are, and I love them very much even today. I’m very grateful to them for all the love that they’ve given me.”
He reiterated that his long-standing frustration was with the Pakistani government, not its citizens, “My issues have always been with the Pakistani government.”
Despite being a globally known artist with a catalogue of hits to his name, Adnan revealed that the Pakistani government never recognised his contributions, “They never acknowledged my work or honoured me in any way. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
For Adnan, the greatest reward has always been emotional rather than institutional, “For an artiste, the biggest nourishment is love. So, from whichever corner of the world they get that love, they will be very grateful for it. My music is for everybody. I have not put any boundaries on my music. You want to listen to it? Most welcome. You don’t want to? Thanks for trying.”
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun…Read More
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun… Read More
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