Sonu Nigam Criticizes IIFA 2025 for Snub Over 'Mere Dholna 3.0'

The singer suggests political interference and recalls a prior incident involving Rajasthan's Chief Minister leaving his concert midway.

Sonu Nigam expressed disappointment over not being nominated for Best Male Playback Singer at IIFA 2025 for his song 'Mere Dholna 3.0' from Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.
The award for Best Male Playback Singer went to Jubin Nautiyal for 'Dua' from Article 370, while Shreya Ghoshal won Best Female Playback Singer for the same song Sonu performed.
Nigam shared a cryptic Instagram post, implying that the IIFA decisions might have been influenced by Rajasthan's bureaucracy.
The singer linked this snub to a December 2024 incident where Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and other officials left his concert midway, which he publicly criticized as disrespectful.
Fans and industry peers, including Amaal Malik and Jaan Kumar Sanu, voiced their support for Nigam, calling him above awards and criticizing the perceived bias in award selections.