The controversy surrounding ‘Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke,’ the latest track from the film KD: The Devil featuring Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt, has reached a boiling point. Facing intense backlash for its explicit lyrics and suggestive choreography, the Hindi version of the song was recently pulled from YouTube following complaints to the CBFC and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Amidst the noise, former actress Rakshita wife of the film’s director, Prem took to Instagram to address the critics. While not explicitly justifying the content, she pointedly questioned the industry’s history of “selective outrage.”
The “Selective Outrage” Argument
Rakshita’s defense centered on the idea that Bollywood has a long, celebrated history of provocative tracks that never faced this level of organized cancellation.
- Past Precedents: She cited iconic songs like ‘Choli Ke Peeche’ and ‘Dreamum Wakeupum,’ noting that they were accepted by the public without triggering such massive outcries.
- Double Standards: “When an entire film comes out talking about [sexual intercourse] throughout… it seemed fine. But one song creates massive news,” she wrote, adding that she was asking these questions simply to understand the shifting goalposts of public morality.
Defending the Director and the “Sandalwood” Struggle
Addressing the personal attacks on her husband, Rakshita argued that a single controversial song shouldn’t define a filmmaker’s entire career or talent. She highlighted the immense pressure facing the Kannada film industry (Sandalwood) today:
- Market Challenges: She noted that selling films to OTT platforms and TV channels is an uphill battle for Kannada producers compared to other major industries.
- The Need for “Gimmicks”: Rakshita defended her husband’s promotional style, suggesting that loud publicity is often a necessity to actually get audiences into theaters in a crowded market.
- The Right to Question: While she acknowledged the audience’s right to critique or dislike a film, she drew a hard line at personal abuse and “frustration-driven” social media trolling.
Rakshita didn’t shy away from the personal toll of online toxicity, revealing that she is frequently trolled for her body and appearance. She urged the public to maintain “basic knowledge of how to talk” when engaging in public discourse.
