“I Already Know Who Hired You”: Nora Fatehi Breaks Silence on ‘Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke’ Controversy
Bollywood star and dance icon Nora Fatehi has finally addressed the intense backlash surrounding the song “Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke” from the film KD: The Devil. The actress, who found herself at the center of a social media firestorm, is now pulling back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes reality of the situation.
A Calculated Campaign?
Speaking candidly on the Dream with Dr. Sheen podcast, Fatehi revealed that she was far from surprised by the vitriol directed at her. Suggesting that the backlash may have been orchestrated, she stated, “I already know who hired you, when, and how much they paid you. That was an opportunity well-squeezed by whoever was behind that.”
The actress explained that despite the accusations hurled her way, she remained calm. “Because of the whole ‘feminism’ narrative, I was prepared for how my body would react. I wasn’t panicking; I wasn’t in fear. I shot for three days [years ago] and didn’t know [what they would do], and then all hell broke loose.”
The Struggle for Clarity
Fatehi expressed frustration over the public’s refusal to accept her side of the story. Despite releasing a detailed clarification video, she noted that many continued to cast doubt on her integrity. “I am the most articulate person out there, but there were still people in the comments who said, ‘She’s lying.’ By the way, the full song wasn’t even released. It was just snippets—some clips and AI photos,” she added.
The controversy stems from the unauthorized use of her image in the Hindi version of the track. Fatehi maintains that the project was originally shot in Kannada years ago under the impression that it was a tribute to the classic “Nayak Nahi Khalnayak Hoon Main.”
Unflattering Visuals and AI Misuse
In an earlier video message, Fatehi detailed her initial concerns, noting that even during the film’s launch event, she was uncomfortable with the promotional material. “When I attended the launch, I saw the Kannada version, and I had a major issue because they used unflattering photos in the lyrical video. They also used an AI photo of Sanjay [Dutt] and me. I was very irritated… however, I kept my calm.”
She emphasized that no permission was sought to repurpose her performance for the controversial Hindi edit. “I would hate for anyone to think I endorse this,” she wrote in a previous social media statement. “I had no idea about this Hindi song; I did not perform to it.”
Context: The Film ‘KD: The Devil’
‘Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke’ is a track from the high-stakes Kannada action-crime drama KD: The Devil, directed by Prem. The film features a star-studded cast, including Dhruva Sarja, Sanjay Dutt, Shilpa Shetty, and Reeshma Nanaiah. Set against the backdrop of the 1970s, the movie follows the journey of a petty criminal named Kaali navigating the brutal underworld.
While the film has garnered attention for its scale, Fatehi’s comments serve as a stark reminder of the complexities actors face when their past work is repurposed without consent in an era of digital manipulation and viral misinformation.
