Sona Mohapatra slams Sonu Nigam after support for Anu Malik over #MeToo allegations and his statement about Pakistani singers

Sona Mohapatra has slammed Sonu Nigam for controversial statements he made at a recent event. latter had recently backed Anu Malik amid #MeToo allegations against him and had also joked that it was better if he was from Pakistan as he would’ve got offers to sing in India. 

READ: Me Too India: Singer Sona Mohapatra Accuses Anu Malik Of Sexual Harassment

Sonu had stated that Anu Malik, who he’s worked with on many songs, was accused of sexual misconduct without any proof. Giving  example of being harassed by a journalist ten years ago, he added that music composer-singer didn’t say much about allegations, though he could’ve done so.  

singer questioned ‘respect’ given to  accusers while y ‘tarnish’ his name. Sonu raised his voice against ‘ban’ on him which ‘snatched his bread and butter’ and ‘tortured’ his family.  

 "If you say, 'Anu Malik met me this morning', that's fine. You accused him without any proof; let's accept that too. Had he [Anu Malik] wanted to say anything, he could have said a lot. But he did t. If I say that you misbehaved with me, you will ask me for proof. But re's proof, right? Despite that, people are respecting accusers, who are tarnishing Anu Malik's name. But how can you ban him? How can you snatch his bread and butter? How can you torture his family?" He was quoted as saying. 

Sona slammed Sonu’s comment on Twitter and took a dig at ‘sympathy’ for ‘millionaire losing work’ and empathy for ‘privileged’ family being ‘tortured’’. She asked Sonu about multiple women Anu allegedly ‘tortured’ and if multiple testimonies were t proof eugh. 

She added that re were more than 100 men and women who would attest to Anu Malik’s ‘deplorable abusive behaviour.’ singer asked Sonu if all women should wear strap recording devices and spy cams for proof, as she questioned claims of accusers benefitting from ir allegations against music composer. 

Sona also wrote how she felt let down by Sonu, who she thought was ‘brighter than most of his peers, intelligent, talented, excellent at his craft and kind’. She rued fact that he ‘choose dark side to side up with’ and hoped he realises how ‘sad’ she felt it was.  

event saw Sonu making ar controversial statement. singer had joked that sometimes he thought it’d have been better he was from Pakistan, as at least he would’ve got offers in India. He questioned Pakistani singers like Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan being exempted from paying for music shows while ir Indian counterparts were asked to shell out money for it. 

 "Sometimes, I feel like it would be better if I was from Pakistan. At least I would get offers from India," he said. He continued, "wadays, singers have to pay music companies for shows. If we don’t shell out money, y will play songs sung by or singers and highlight m. n, y will take money from m. y don’t do same with Pakistani singers. But n why single only Indian singers out? Atif Aslam is a very close friend of mine. He is never asked to pay to sing at shows, neir is Rahat Fateh Ali Khan." 

After his comment sparked a row, Sonu had later issued a clarification on quote, saying how journalists ‘missed real content’ in an attempt to make headlines catchy. Calling it ‘patic’, he reiterated his point of Pakistani singers being exempted from paying to music companies, while Indian singers had to do so.       

READ: #MeToo | Sona Mohapatra Accuses Kailash Kher Of Making Advances Towards Her

Neverless, Sona was t pleased with it again and asked him if Arijit Singh, Badshah, Vishal Dadlani were from Pakistan. She said he had his ‘moment under sun’ as country 'aints a male superstar' in every few years. singer asked Sonu t to ''blame Pakistani artists' and also to t 'mix up' art, music with politics and ideology. 

Sona was one of celebrities who had called out Anu Malik, calling him and Kailash Kher ‘serial predators’ during #MeToo movement.