NHRC Acts Against 'Sarke Chunar' Song's Vulgar Lyrics, Seeks Report

A Bench presided by NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo took cognisance of a complaint alleging that the recently released track contains vulgar and double-meaning lyrics that are inappropriate for public consumption, particularly for minors.

According to the complaint, the song is widely available through television, social media and digital platforms, which may negatively impact the mental well-being and moral environment of minors.

It further alleged that the growing trend of explicit lyrical content in mainstream entertainment contributes to the normalisation of inappropriate expressions among young audiences.

Seeking intervention, the complainant requested that the apex human rights body examine the issue, obtain a report from the relevant certification authorities, and issue necessary guidelines or advisories to regulate such content and safeguard children's rights.

Observing that the allegations, if true, prima facie indicate possible violations of human rights concerning the protection of minors, the NHRC issued the notice under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.

It has directed the Chairman of the CBFC, the Secretaries of the Ministries of Electronics and Information Technology and Information & Broadcasting, and the India lead for core government affairs and public policy at Google to inquire into the allegations and submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within two weeks for its perusal. Meanwhile, amid the growing controversy, the makers of the track have removed "Sarke Chunar" from YouTube.

Sources told IANS that the producers are currently working on a revised version of the song with new lyrics, which is expected to be released shortly, though the timeline remains unclear.

The track, featuring Sanjay Dutt and Nora Fatehi, faced widespread criticism for its suggestive choreography and lyrics soon after release.

The song has been sung by Mangli with lyrics by Raqeeb Alam and music composed, arranged and produced by Arjun Janya.

Advocate and social activist Vineet Jindal has also filed a complaint with the Delhi Police cyber cell, seeking legal action against the makers, alleging that the song contains obscene lyrics unsuitable for public platforms.

The controversy has drawn reactions from several public figures. Singer Armaan Malik described the track as a "new low" for songwriting, while former cricketer Harbhajan Singh criticised the song and questioned the participation of the actors in it.

Actress and politician Kangana Ranaut also reacted strongly to the controversy, saying the Hindi film industry had "crossed all limits to achieve cheap PR tactics and attention-seeking".

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, she said it has become increasingly difficult to watch television with family and called for stricter restrictions on such content in cinema.

Directed by Prem, "KD: The Devil" is backed by KVN Productions and stars Dhruva Sarja in the lead, along with Sanjay Dutt, Shilpa Shetty, V Ravichandran, Ramesh Aravind, Reeshma Nanaiah, and Nora Fatehi in key roles.

The film is planned as a multilingual release in Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.

- IANS