Debarati S Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; March 19, 2026)

The recently released track Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke, featuring Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt, has triggered widespread backlash online over its lyrics, with much of the criticism directed at lyricist Raqueeb Alam. The track, part of the upcoming pan-India film KD - The Devil, was originally written in Kannada by the film’s director, Prem. Alam’s role, he says, was limited to translating the lyrics into Hindi.

‘I was told to just translate the Kannada song word for word’
As criticism over the song continues to escalate, Alam spoke to Bombay Times, alleging he was wrongly credited with the song’s lyrics. Opening up about the sequence of events, Alam claimed he had refused to write the track when he was approached by Prem.

He says, “Koi bhi lyricist aisa nahi likhega. Mujhe jab Prem ne likhne bola toh maine mana kar diya. I told him yeh theek nahi hai. Then I was told to just translate the Kannada song (composed by Arjun Janya) word for word – like ‘This is my book’ to ‘Yeh meri kitab hai’. So, I translated it and gave it to him. Prem told me, ‘Main dekhta hoon, main manage karoonga isko’. He then adjusted it with the meter and recorded it.”

‘I had told the director not to credit me as a lyricist for this song’
Alam further alleged that he had explicitly asked not to be credited for the song. He says, “When I gave him the translation, I had told him not to credit me as a lyricist for this song. After that, maine ek baar bhi woh Hindi translated song nahi suna. Kisne gaya, kahan record kiya, kuch bhi pata nahi tha mujhe. Only after the song was released did I find out that he had given my name in the credits, and I called him immediately. Maine uspe bahut chillaya, and I told him to remove my name and put his own or pull the song down completely.”

According to Alam, the director later agreed to take the song down. “Prem said that he would remove the song, and that eventually he did it, but by then the damage was done,” he said.

'Main aise song ke saath kaise associate ho sakta hoon?'
Calling the episode a "betrayal", Alam said, "Mere saath dhoka hua hai. This wasn't right. Mere bhi bacche hain, family hai. Main aise song ke saath kaise associate ho sakta hoon? Kal mere bachche mujhse puchenge ke aapne apne zindagi mein iss tarah ke gaane likhein? Toh mein kya jawab doonga?”

The lyricist, who has previously translated songs like Srivalli for Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01 and its sequel, as well as for films like Master, Jailer, Leo, and Varisu, among others, also underlined that he has consistently spoken out against vulgar content in music.

He said, “I have been someone who has spoken against vulgar songs in the past. Main khud bahut aware rehta hoon ki mujh se aise alfazon ka chayan nahi ho jisse hamare samaj pe, bacchon pe bura asar pade.”
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"Once you sign a contract for a film, you are bound to fulfil its requirements. I refused to be part of this track once I read the Kannada lyrics, but I was asked to translate them into Hindi, and I had to fulfil my role as per the contract. I had told the director (Prem) not to credit me as a lyricist for this song"
-- Raqueeb Alam
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Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 18, 2026)

The track Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke, featuring Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt, from the upcoming film KD: The Devil, has been drawing social media outrage for its vulgar lyrics ever since its release on Sunday.

When we reached out to its lyricist Raqueeb Alam, he outrightly denied it as his own creation: “Yeh lyrics maine nahin 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 will be censored. They told me to only literally translate and give it to them. Words like ‘choosega’, ‘chaatega’ are all there in the original version. Mujhe kya zaroorat hai aise gaane likhne ki? I am feeling humiliated.”

The official song version had been taken down by the makers from YouTube at the time of this article going to press. To this, Raqueeb adds, “They called me on Monday and requested that I write a fresh version with clean lyrics. They were planning to release the new version along with an apology note.”

People from within the industry have expressed shock. Singer Armaan Malik tweeted, “Sad to see commercial songwriting hit a new low.” Filmmaker Onir wrote, “...Strange country we are becoming... opposing Valentines Day celebration, interfaith marriage/ celebration, while ok with this rubbish.” Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut commented, “Bollywood has crossed all limits with vulgarity, tactics and attention-seeking.”