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Exclusive | Nora Fatehi's Sarke Chunar lyricist Raqueeb reacts to backlash: I had objected; new version is on the way

As Chunar Teri Sarke continues to receive flak for the lyrics, it's lyricist Raqueeb Alam speaks exclusively to HT City.

Published on: Mar 17, 2026, 14:46:46 IST
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Social media has been raging over this song since Monday, which features in the upcoming film KD The Devil. Titled Chunar Teri Sarke, it has been filmed on Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt, and the vulgar lyrics have led to widespread condemnation.

Raqueeb Alam has been credited for the lyrics of Chunar Teri Sarke
Raqueeb Alam has been credited for the lyrics of Chunar Teri Sarke

When HT City reaches out to Raqueeb Alam, credited for the lyrics, he categorically denies it as his own creation. He exclusively tells us, “Yeh lyrics maine nahi likhe hain, they were written by the film’s director Prem in Kannada. When I was asked to write all this, I refused, saying such songs won’t work, and will be censored too. They told me to only literally translate the Kannada version and give it to them, they will set it to the song’s meter. Words like ‘Choosega’, ‘chaatega’ are all there in the original version only.” A line in the song reads, “Pehle Uthale, Ander Wo Dale, Neeche Ek Boond Na Girae, Khali Kar Ke Nikale, Mujh Pe Na Girana Mujhe Lagta Hai Dar, Bhed Khul Jaae Na Sambhal Ke Jaana Ghar, Choosega ya chatega, jo karega kar, Teri Bottle Pe Na Pade Kisi Ki Bhi Nazar.”

The official song version had been removed by the makers from YouTube at the time of this article going live. Raqueeb adds, “They called me on Monday night, and requested me to write a fresh version with clean lyrics. I sent it to them on Tuesday morning, it was being recorded the same day. They are planning to release the song on Tuesday evening along with an apology note.”

People from within the industry have expressed shock over the song. Singer Armaan Malik tweeted, “Sad to see commercial songwriting hit a new low.” Filmmaker Onir wrote, “And the Censor board is busy with The naming of a film #GhooskhorPandat . Strange country we are becoming... opposing Valentines day celebration, interfaith marriage/ celebration while ok with this rubbish.”

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rishabh Suri

Rishabh Suri is an Assistant Editor, film critic, and professional overthinker of plot points. He writes for HT City, keeping pace with an industry where news cycles expire long before the popcorn gets cold. He completed his graduation in English Honours from Kirori Mal College, followed by a Master’s degree in English Literature-effectively training his brain to over-analyse classic texts before applying those exact same skills to 3-hour Bollywood blockbusters. He got into the profession when he had barely graduated from college and has been at HT ever since. At HT, Rishabh reviews films with a simple rule: skip the dense academic jargon and get straight to the point. Beyond reviews, as Assistant Editor, he helps navigate the broader circus of showbiz, tracking everything from OTT shifts to sudden box office panics. In a beat driven by loud PR machinery and carefully scripted answers, Rishabh prefers cutting through the noise to focus on how stories get made and why trends shift. When he isn’t writing against a deadline, he is usually sitting in a dark theater, compulsively memorising dialogues. For Rishabh, analysing movies isn't just a day job- it’s a habit he couldn't turn off even if he tried.

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