Sonu Nigam on why he turns down Hindi reality shows: ‘Tired of being asked to praise contestants when song isn’t good’

Sonu Nigam has appeared as a judge on a number of music competition-based Hindi reality TV shows. However, he has said that he turns down these offers now since he doesn’t like the format the judges have to follow. Sonu claimed that judges are often asked to unnecessarily praise a contestant. Also Read| Sonu Nigam recalls he ‘beautifully’ sang Subhanallah but Pritam picked Sreerama Chandra over him, reveals his reaction

Sonu currently appears on the Bengali reality show Super Singer Season 3 as a judge alongside Kumar Sanu and Koushiki Chakraborty. At a virtual media event on Wednesday, Sonu discussed the reasons that he has chosen to appear on a Bengali reality show while turning down the Hindi ones.

The musician, who has been a part of music reality shows like Indian Idol and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, added that the judges on Hindi reality shows are asked to compliment the contestants’ performances even if they did not like it. As per The Times of India, he said, “I instantly decided to be a part of this Bengali show (Super Singer Season 3), because I had high expectations. I turned down a lot of Hindi shows. I am tired of being asked to say same old things on the show and praising a contestant when the song isn’t good. I don’t like that. It has become more of a love lost kind of thing now. I don’t look forward to earning money and I don’t see the necessity of being a part of a show just for the sake of it. So I don’t say yes to Hindi shows these days.”

Sonu further added that he has turned down several such shows now, “I am the grand daddy of music reality shows. 22 years back, I hosted a show when there wasn’t any of such show. I conceived it. Over these years, I have been a part of many of such shows as host and judge. Whenever, there is a new Hindi music show, I am being approached but I turn it down.”

In May last year, singer Amit Kumar had claimed that he was asked to praise the contestants for their performance on Indian Idol 12 even though it wasn’t good. Sonu also suggested the same in an interview with Indian Express in July last year, saying, “I am a man of clear words. Nobody can tell me how to behave because we belong to that purest school of music and life.”