Jun 02, 2025 08:42 PM IST

Singer and music composer Adnan Sami, who was born in Pakistan and later became an Indian citizen in 2016, has often faced criticism from Pakistani citizens for his decision to move. Many speculated that financial motives were behind the shift. However, during a recent appearance on India TV's Aap Ki Adalat, Adnan set the record straight, opening up about the real reason behind his move to India. (Also Read: 'This illiterate idiot': Adnan Sami blasts former Pak minister for questioning his nationality after Pahalgam attack)

Adnan recalled feeling disheartened by the Pakistani music industry and said, "I come from a very privileged family. I was never greedy for money because I was born in a home where I always had everything. An artiste is always wishing for audience. I got a lot of love from Pakistan, but I wanted a larger audience. After the songs I released in 1998, people in the Pakistani music industry thought my songs wouldn't work and I’m finished. So they didn’t provide any publicity for those songs. Nobody got to know when the album released and vanished. I was very dejected. I was in Canada at that time. I knew they’d done that on purpose."

He recalled a conversation with veteran singer Asha Bhosle and said, "I told her that I felt dejected again, and people have decided in Pakistan not to work with me. So I want to record song with you in London. She said, Why in London? If you really want to do something new, come to Mumbai because this is the capital of Hindi Music, and something that gets popular here will spread across the world. So I reached there. Asha ji took a lot of care of me and made me stay at RD Burman's house. It was like staying in a temple of music. The songs that were rejected in Pakistan, Lift Karade, Bheegi Bheegi Raaton Mein, when these songs were released here, the rest is history."

He added that the love and acceptance he received in India was unlike anything he had experienced before. Adnan further noted that it wasn't just him—iconic artists like ghazal legends Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Mehdi Hassan, as well as folk singer Reshma, also found success in Pakistan, but their fame multiplied significantly in India. He attributed this to the country's vast audience and deep respect for music, which he believes is unmatched elsewhere.

Apart from his hit albums, Adnan Sami has lent his voice to several popular Bollywood tracks, including Tu Sirf Mera Mehboob in Ajnabee, Nashe Nashe Mein Yaar in Janasheen, Shayad Yahi To Pyar Hai in Lucky: No Time for Love, Dil Kya Kare in Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love, and Baatein Kuch Ankahein Si in Life in a... Metro, among others.