Sanjay Dutt Issues Apology Over ‘Sarke Chunar’ Controversy, Pledges to Fund Education for 50 Tribal Girls
Sanjay Dutt Issues Apology Over ‘Sarke Chunar’ Controversy, Pledges to Fund Education for 50 Tribal Girls
Veteran actor Sanjay Dutt has formally apologised to the National Commission for Women (NCW) after appearing before the panel on Monday in connection with the controversy surrounding the song “Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke” from the upcoming film “KD The Devil”. The actor submitted a written statement expressing regret for any unintended offence or societal discomfort caused by the track.
During the proceedings, chaired by NCW chief Vijaya Rahatkar, the commission expressed serious concerns regarding allegations of inappropriate and vulgar representation of women in the song. The discussion also focused on whether proper due diligence had been carried out before being associated with content that could be seen as promoting objectification.
Emphasising accountability, the NCW highlighted that influential public personalities carry a greater responsibility to ensure their creative work adheres to legal standards and social ethics, particularly when it reaches a wide audience.
As part of corrective steps, Sanjay Dutt assured the commission that he would sponsor the education of 50 tribal girl children, aiming to contribute toward women’s empowerment and social development. He also pledged that moving forward, his professional agreements would include strict legal vetting clauses to ensure respectful and appropriate portrayal of women and children in all creative projects.
Meanwhile, actor Nora Fatehi, who was also summoned in the matter, did not attend the hearing as she is currently outside the country. She has requested a new date for her appearance before the commission.
Earlier, on April 6, several others linked to the project—including director Kiran Kumar (Prem), lyricist Raqueeb Alam, and representatives of KVN Production Company, Gautam K.M. and Suprith—had appeared before the NCW and tendered apologies in relation to the controversy.
The commission reiterated that while artistic expression is protected, it must be balanced with responsibility and sensitivity toward societal values. It also stressed the importance of ensuring dignity in the representation of women in media content consumed by the public.
The Hindi version of the song, which was released on YouTube on March 15, faced heavy backlash over its allegedly explicit lyrics. Following public criticism, the Hindi track was taken down from the platform, though it reportedly continued circulating online.
Nora Fatehi later clarified her position, stating in a video message that she had only worked on the Kannada version of the song and that her consent was not obtained for the Hindi adaptation.
The controversy also reached Parliament, where Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadoria raised the issue during Question Hour. In response, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the song had already been banned and assured that necessary action would be taken against such content.
“KD The Devil”, a Kannada-language film also dubbed into four languages including Hindi, is slated for theatrical release on April 30. The film features a star-studded cast including Dhruva Sarja, V. Ravichandran, Ramesh Aravind, Shilpa Shetty, and Sanjay Dutt.
