Sonu Nigam initially turned down Padma Shri: ‘I don’t think I will accept it.’

Chandigarh, February 6

India’s legendary singer Sonu Nigam has been conferred with the prestigious honour Padma Shri. In one of his recent interview, Sonu revealed that initially, he was reluctant over accepting the honour as he believed the honour to be ‘johnny-come-lately’.

Sonu felt that the honour has taken so long, as he deserved it much before. “Don’t you think it is a little too late in the day to give me Padma Shri?” asked Sonu after he was told about the honour.

In a recent conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Sonu said that he has passed the phase where he was expecting such reward. Sonu further revealed his conversation with government official who informed him about the award. He told him that people who started their careers 15 years after him were honoured five years ago. Sonu shared, “I told him, ‘You guys have been teasing me for such a long time. We are also human beings. We get lured by all these temptations.’” Singer also said that awards make sense only when they are ‘given at right time’.

The 48-year-old singer told the government representative, “I don’t think I will accept it.” The official requested him and Sonu promises him to revert back after discussing the issue with his father. Later, Sonu realised that many people lobby for the award but he is getting it for his sheer merits.

“A lot of people lobby for it,” he shared, and for many years he was also told that his fans want to lobby for him but that never worked out. “Thank god that didn’t work because the way I got it now, this is fun,” he said.

Sonu Nigam received a Nation Film Award in 2003 for Kal Ho Naa Ho.