Freedom of speech not absolute: Centre as 'Sarke Chunar' row reaches Lok Sabha

A controversy over the viral song 'Sarke Chunar' from the upcoming film KD The Devil reached Parliament on Wednesday, with the government confirming that the track has been banned following backlash over its explicit lyrics.

The issue was raised in the Lok Sabha by Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadouria, who flagged concerns over the growing influence of unchecked content on digital platforms.

Responding in the House, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the government had already acted against the song.

“A ban has been imposed. Freedom of speech cannot be absolute; it must operate within reasonable restrictions in the context of society and culture,” he said.

Vaishnaw added that with content spreading rapidly on digital platforms, the government is prepared to take “strict action” to safeguard vulnerable groups, including women and children.

SONG SPARKS OUTRAGE ONLINE

The song, featuring Sanjay Dutt and Nora Fatehi, was released on YouTube earlier this week and quickly went viral, drawing criticism for lyrics widely seen as sexually explicit. The backlash led to the Hindi version of the track being taken down from social media platforms.

The controversy has also renewed debate over regulation of OTT and online content, with lawmakers raising concerns about its social impact.

NORA FATEHI DENIES ROLE IN HINDI VERSION

Actor Nora Fatehi later distanced herself from the controversy, saying she had filmed the song in Kannada three years ago and had no knowledge of the Hindi version.

She said she was “shocked” by the lyrics and had not given permission for the Hindi adaptation using her image. “I did not perform this Hindi version, and no approval was taken from me,” she said, urging people to stop sharing the song further.

Fatehi also claimed that some promotional visuals, including an image of her with Sanjay Dutt, were generated using artificial intelligence.

MAKERS UNDER SCRUTINY

The Hindi lyrics, credited to Raqeeb Alam, were based on the original Kannada version written by the film’s director Prem. Alam has said he had initially refused to work on the track and only translated it under instruction.

Fatehi called on the media and public to hold filmmakers accountable rather than targeting performers, stressing that actors often have limited control over final content.

- Ends