Singer Adnan Sami, who made his place in India some 18 years ago, has time and again received criticism for his decision. Sami, who shares same birthday as Indian Independence Day was asked about his lineage recently, reported The Indian Express.
A social media user asked him where his father, who was a Pakistan Air Force fighter pilot, was born and had died.
To which Adnan replied, “My father was born in 1942 in India and died in 2009 in India! Next!”
My father was born in 1942 in India & died in 2009 in India!!! Next! https://t.co/M11nbQonWh
— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) August 15, 2019
The 48-year-old singer-composer, who was born in Britain and was earlier a Canadian citizen, is of Pakistani decent. His father, Arshad Sami Khan, was a Pashtun, while his mother Naureen Khan was from Jammu.
Adnan has been working in India for several years now, and is best known for both film and pop songs like Aye Udi Udi Udi (Saathiya) and Kabhi to Nazar Milao with Asha Bhonsle. He is mostly known for playing a variety of musical instruments and has always maintained that the love he has received from Indians is “everything” for him.
Adnan, who has been staying in India since 2001, was granted Indian citizenship effective from January 1, 2016. The Home Ministry confirmed his citizenship post his appeal to legalise his stay in India.
After being granted Indian citizenship, Adnan said in an interview to CNN-News18, “I was in rapture with this overwhelming love I got from India. India fell in love with me, I fell in love with her even more. And, I just said to myself that this is that missing link I was waiting for, looking for all my life…”
