Jun 21, 2025 09:03 AM IST

Adnan Sami has a theory about why Pakistanis are still talking about his changed citizenship. Adnan used to be a Pakistani citizen but was granted Indian citizenship in 2016, something he still gets hate for from the other side of the border. In a new interview with Bollywood Bubble, Adnan theorised that Pakistanis are suffering from something he has dubbed the ‘ex-lover syndrome’.

He said, “It’s like—it’s like an ex-lover. It’s a good analogy. You know, when an ex-lover sees you moving on and getting involved with somebody else, they’ll always come up with reasons to hate you. But the real reason they do that is because they still haven’t gotten over you, and it’s love—it’s still love. And love manifests in many absurd ways. You could even say… but the point is, I understand, somewhere, the psyche of how they feel.”

Adnan said there were solid reasons behind his decision to change citizenship, but people have more issues with him going through it than a thousand others who do it all the time too. “First of all, because of the geopolitical nature between India and Pakistan, so there’s that rivalry, for whatever reason, we all know. But more than that, it’s the ex-lover syndrome,” he said.

He said he never received a single award or any recognition from the government there, despite making music for nearly 40 years. He also spoke about other challenges he faced during that period. He made it clear that his audience had always been loving and supportive, and they still were. Adnan said he loved them deeply and remained genuinely grateful for all the affection they had shown him. His issues, he stressed, were never with them, and that was something he wanted them to understand.

“My issues have been with the government and the way they have treated me. They don’t know this—how would they? But the fact remains, I’ve always loved my audiences. As you mentioned about being an artist, for me, everyone who loves me, I love them equally in return," he said.

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. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian government in 2020.