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3 min readNew DelhiJul 23, 2026 09:55 PM IST
Abhijeet Bhattacharya recalled advising Udit Narayan during his kiss controversy.
Playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has opened up about standing by two of his industry colleagues during some of the biggest controversies of their careers. Speaking about Udit Narayan’s viral kiss controversy last year and Sonu Nigam’s 2017 azaan row, Abhijeet said he was among the few people who publicly defended both singers, adding that he has often supported friends even when they did not expect it.
‘I told Udit Narayan to accept it’
Speaking to Subhojit Ghosh, Abhijeet Bhattacharya revealed that he advised Udit Narayan not to deny the incident that sparked widespread criticism last year, but instead own it and move on.
He said, “I stood by Udit even after he had given up. I told him, ‘Just say yes, I kissed because someone kissed me. Say it openly—that yes, I’ll do it too. If my fans come and kiss or hug me, I’ll do that too.’ I even spoke in his support. I told him, ‘You’re Udit Narayan. If people won’t kiss you, then who will they kiss? If 50 people kiss you and you kiss one of them back, what’s the big deal? Just say, ‘Yes, I did.”
Udit Narayan landed in controversy in 2025 after videos from one of his live concerts showed him kissing female fans who had approached him for selfies. The clips quickly went viral, drawing criticism online. Responding to the backlash, Udit maintained that such moments were a spontaneous expression of affection between an artiste and fans, and should not be viewed negatively.
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Abhijeet recalls supporting Sonu Nigam during azaan controversy
Abhijeet Bhattacharya also spoke about Sonu Nigam’s controversial remarks on the use of loudspeakers for the azaan in 2017, saying he publicly defended the singer when many others distanced themselves.
He said, “I had strongly supported Sonu. When that maulvi from Kolkata said he would shave Sonu’s head, I defended him during a live TV debate. Even Sonu never expected that I would stand up for him like that. People close to him had started speaking against him, but I was the only one standing by his side.”
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Talking about his friendships within the industry, Abhijeet added, “When I consider someone a friend, I stand by them wholeheartedly, and it has always been one-sided. No one speaks up for me; I’m always the one speaking up for them.”
In 2017, Sonu Nigam sparked a nationwide debate after questioning the use of loudspeakers for the early morning azaan in a series of social media posts. His remarks triggered strong reactions, and a Kolkata-based cleric announced a reward for anyone who would shave the singer’s head. Sonu later shaved his head at a press conference, saying his objection was to the use of loudspeakers and not to any religion.
About Abhijeet Bhattacharya
Abhijeet Bhattacharya is one of Bollywood’s most popular playback singers, with a career spanning more than three decades. He has lent his voice to numerous chartbusters, particularly for Shah Rukh Khan in the 1990s and early 2000s.
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