Nora Fatehi controversial song 'Sarke Chunar' reaches Lok Sabha, Centre says 'freedom of speech is...'

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said that the controversial Bollywood song Sarke Chunar has been banned, asserting that freedom of speech must operate within “reasonable restrictions” that respect society and culture. The song Sarke Chunar, featuring actors Nora Fatehi (in pic) and Sanjay Dutt, is part of the upcoming Kannada film KD: The Devil. (PTI) Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw said freedom of expression cannot be absolute. “A ban has been imposed on the song. We must operate according to the reasonable restrictions under the Freedom of Speech. Freedom of Speech cannot be absolute, it has to be in the context of the society and culture,” he said.

The issue was raised in the Lower House by Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadouria, who sought clarification from the government regarding the controversial track. The song, featuring actors Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt, is part of the upcoming Kannada film KD: The Devil. It sparked a major controversy soon after its release online, with many viewers objecting to what they described as sexually explicit lyrics and provocative visuals. The Hindi version of the track was uploaded on YouTube earlier this week but was later removed after the backlash intensified. However, versions in Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil remain available on the video-sharing platform.

Nora Fatehi in a still from the song Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke.

The film, which is set for release on April 30, will be dubbed in multiple languages. The song was originally written in Kannada by the film’s director Prem. Lyricist Raqeeb Alam, who is credited with the Hindi version, distanced himself from the controversy, saying he had merely translated the original lyrics. “I have not written these lyrics. They were written by the film’s director Prem in Kannada. When I was asked to write all this, I refused, saying such songs won’t work and will be censored too,” Alam said, adding that he was eventually asked to translate the original lines.

Raqueeb Alam has been credited for the lyrics of Chunar Teri Sarke