Rapper and singer Badshah surprised the audience with a speech in Kannada at the 2024 Youth Dussehra event in Mysore, Karnataka. His demeanor endeared him to the local crowd, who cheered enthusiastically for the popular artist. Badshah also paid an emotional tribute to late actor Puneeth Rajkumar, a moment that was widely shared and appreciated online.

Badshah’s emotional address, where he said, “I am not a superstar, I am not a singer, I am not a rapper. I am just a writer, I just write about my emotions. I am one of you,” the attendees echoed deeply.

The highlight of his performance was when he paid tribute to late Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar as his song Rajakumara played in the background, making the moment even more emotional.

The video of Badshah speaking Kannada went viral, with social media users praising his effort to embrace the local culture. Fans praised the effort taken by the Mercy singer to connect with the people of Mysuru.

Here is a post shared by Badshah,

Sharing the video, a user wrote, “Easy way to get warm love from us. This is why Virat Kohli says he doesn’t want to leave RCB, because he gets love from it. Dear outsiders, just try something easy ” Change, then you can definitely find unfiltered love (sic).”

This year’s Youth Dasara, a part of the prestigious Mysuru Dasara festival, featured performances from renowned national and regional celebrities like Shreya Ghoshal, Ravi Basrur and AR Rahman.

Badshah’s powerful performance and tribute to late actor Puneeth Rajkumar has left an indelible mark on the cultural celebrations showcasing the rich heritage of Karnataka. The festival concluded on 10 October with a grand performance by Ilaiyaraaja.