I gave up a tremendous amount of inheritance in Pakistan when I moved to India: Adnan Sami

In 2016, popular singer Adnan Sami Khan gave up his Pakistani citizenship and acquired Indian citizenship. The move caused a stir on both sides of the border, with some Pakistanis speculating that the decision was financially motivated.

In a recent conversation with Humans of Bombay, Sami spoke about the flak he drew for his decision to move to India. He said that people came up with their own explanations with some Pakistanis going as far as saying, “Oh, he has chosen India because he’s making more money over there.”

“Excuse me, do you have any idea what my family background is?” asked Sami. “Do you have any idea that money has never been a problem in my life? I have been blessed to have been born and brought up in a very well-to-do, wealthy family,” he said, further adding that he may have lost money for the opportunities he couldn’t benefit from and gave up on in Pakistan.

“Money, if at all, I have given up a lot because there’s a tremendous amount of stuff that I could have inherited from there (Pakistan) which I gave away,” he said.

Sami then questioned why it was so difficult for people to accept that he loved India and felt at home there, which is the only reason for his relocation. “The kind of love and appreciation I got over here, overwhelmed me as an artist.”

The move however was a big deal because of the political tensions between the two countries. “There’s enmity between the two countries and that’s a political issue, but the point is, I have nothing to do with politics. I am a musician.”

In a previous interview with Mashable India, Sami shared that it took him 18 years to get Indian citizenship. Talking about being stateless for a while, he revealed, “It took me 18 years, but what I’m trying to say here is this, in those 18 years, I didn’t say anything to the world about this. I was rejected twice. I had to give up my original citizenship, and for a while, I was stateless. For a year and a half, I didn’t belong to any country. A passport is just a document, but I was not owned by any country, and in that state, I could not travel, I could not do anything.”

Sami’s move to India and subsequent citizenship have been a topic of discussion for years. However, the singer has made it clear that his love for India and the appreciation he received here as an artist were the main reasons behind his relocation.

Sami was previously married to actor Zeba Bakhtiar, with whom he shares a son, singer Azaan Sami Khan. Azaan decided to stay in Pakistan and makes music for television dramas, films and independently now. Last year, the singer made his acting debut as well with the Sajal Aly and Yumna Zaidi starrer Ishq-e-Laa. 

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