Nora Fatehi apologises to NCW over Sarke Chunar, says no intent to offend

Actor Nora Fatehi on Thursday appeared before the National Commission for Women (NCW) in connection with a controversy surrounding the song ‘Sarke Chunar’ and apologised, saying there was “no intention to offend anybody.”

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Fatehi said she had been put in a situation unintentionally but acknowledged her responsibility as an artist.

“It was just a situation that I was put in, and there was no intention to offend anybody. But of course, I have to be responsible as an artiste. I definitely apologise, we have done everything in writing. They have been so kind and helpful,” she said.

The actor also said she has decided to sponsor the education of orphan girls.

“It’s really important for us to give back to society. So, I decided that we should sponsor a few orphan girls, their education, so that is the goal after this matter,” she said.

In a Statement, the commission said that Fatehi submitted a written unconditional apology.

According to the commission, Fatehi said she was not well-versed in Kannada and was unaware of the objectionable message conveyed in the Hindi-dubbed version of the song.

She expressed regret over the impact caused by the song and assured the commission that she would exercise greater caution while associating with future projects.

During the hearing, NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar expressed concern over the vulgarity and societal impact of such content and said artistes and public figures cannot evade social responsibility by citing contractual limitations or lack of awareness.

Rahatkar said celebrities wield significant influence over society, particularly the youth, and must remain conscious of the messages they convey.

“As a gesture of social responsibility and atonement, Fatehi also committed to sponsoring the education of 100 orphan girls and requested the Commission to consider her apology sympathetically,” the Statement read.

“The Commission took the apology on record while firmly reaffirming that entertainment content must uphold the dignity of women, preserve cultural and societal sensitivities, and refrain from promoting obscenity or the derogatory representation of women in any form,” it added.

Earlier, Fatehi distanced herself from the Hindi version of the song, saying she had shot the Kannada version and that her permission was not taken for its use in Hindi.

The Hindi version of the song, released on March 15 on YouTube, triggered outrage among a section of the public over its allegedly explicit lyrics.

Following the backlash, the makers removed the Hindi version from YouTube, though it continued to circulate across platforms.

‘KD The Devil’ is a Kannada film, dubbed in four languages, including Hindi.