'Sarke Chunar...' row reaches parliament: 'Freedom of speech must be...'
What's the story
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday announced that the controversial Bollywood song Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke has been banned. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, he emphasized that freedom of expression is not absolute and must be exercised within "reasonable restrictions" that respect society and culture. The issue was raised by Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadouria, who sought clarification from the government regarding the controversial track.
Controversy details
Controversy over 'Sarke Chunar...'
The song, featuring actors Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt, is from the upcoming Kannada movie KD: The Devil. It sparked a major row 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.
Availability
Song still available in other languages
Despite a ban on the song, Sarke Chunar remains available on YouTube in Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil. The film is set to release on April 30 and will be dubbed in multiple languages. The song was originally written in Kannada by the film's director Prem. Lyricist Raqeeb Alam, credited with the Hindi version, distanced himself from the controversy, saying he merely translated original lyrics.
Legal action
Legal complaint filed against song
The controversy has also reached a legal forum, with Advocate Vineet Jindal filing a complaint against the song. He alleged that it contains "highly vulgar, sexually suggestive and obscene expressions" and its video promotes vulgarity and disturbs public decency. Meanwhile, Alam said the film's team has asked him to write a fresh version with "clean lyrics," which may be released along with an apology note following the backlash.