The controversy surrounding KD: The Devil’s track Sarke Chunar, featuring Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt, has now spilled over into the Lok Sabha. Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has weighed in on the debate, taking a strong stance against the song and emphasising that freedom of speech comes with reasonable restrictions.
Ashwini Vaishnaw slams Sarke Chunar
On Wednesday, while speaking in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw slammed the controversial Bollywood song ‘Sarke Chunar’ and revealed that it has been banned. He was responding after the issue was raised in the Lower House by Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadouria, who sought clarification from the government regarding the controversial track.
Address the matter, Vaishnaw said, “Already ban lag chuka hai. Main spasht taur se aapke madhyam se sadan ko kehna chahunga, ke freedom of speech mein jo responsible restrictions hain unse hi chalna chahiye (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 further added that in an era where content can go viral within moments through digital platforms, there is a greater need for caution and responsibility. “At a time, when content spreads rapidly through digital mediums, there is a need to exercise great caution. We are committed to taking strict action to ensure the protection of society—especially children, women, and vulnerable sections,” he added.
Sarke Chunar sparks outrage
The song Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke, from the upcoming film KD: The Devil, featuring Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt, has sparked controversy over its suggestive lyrics and choreography. The track has drawn criticism from a section of social media users, who have raised concerns about its content and presentation. KD: The Devil is written and directed by Prem.
The song Sarke Chunar’s opening verse had a double entendre describing sex in rather graphic detail. The song was uploaded in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada by Anand Audio, the film’s official music partner. The Hindi version of the song is no longer on YouTube.
After the release of the song, All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA), Kangana Ranaut and Armaan Malik came forward to slam the song for its objectionable lyrics.
A criminal complaint has been filed with the Delhi Police Cyber Cell regarding the song. In fact, the National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Central Board of Film Certification, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Google India over the song’s “vulgar, sexually suggestive, and double-meaning lyrics”. Meanwhile, the song’s Hindi lyricist Raqib Alam has distanced himself from the controversy, saying that he only translated the lyrics from the original Kannada version. He also raised objections to certain words in the song. The track was released on Monday, while the film is slated to be released next month.
