Diljit Dosanjh’s latest track Kufar has exploded across social media—not for its catchy beat or slick visuals, but for a single dance step that has ignited a heated debate online. What began as routine music-video chatter quickly escalated into accusations of objectification, forcing both the artists and creators behind the song to respond. Now, the choreographers at the centre of the controversy, Shazia Samji and Piyush Bhagat, have broken their silence, firmly defending their creative choices.
The backlash stems from a moment in the video where Diljit stands behind a female dancer as she lifts her leg during the line “jannat ke darwaaze kudiye.” Many viewers deemed the move unnecessary, suggestive, and objectifying. As criticism mounted, both Diljit Dosanjh and actress Manushi Chhillar—who stars in the music video—distanced themselves from the choreography. Manushi clarified she was not involved in that particular move, and Diljit brushed the matter off in a later live session, saying humorously, “Bruh, mai ta othe khada si… pata ni ki challi janda si.” (“Bro, I was just standing there—I didn’t even know what was happening around me.”)
Choreographers Shazia and Piyush, however, have now stepped forward to offer their perspective. Speaking on the Hindi Rush podcast, Shazia revealed that the controversial segment was actually the team’s favourite portion of the choreography. “Diljit’s song Kufar is great, and the Jannat Ke Darwaaze sequence you’re talking about was our favourite… What can we say if the audience has picked that part?” she said.
Piyush supported her, stressing that nothing in the video happened without full awareness from the entire team. “It’s teamwork… everyone knows what’s happening,” he said, adding that the song’s tone justified the creative direction. “It’s a very sexy song, very international. If you see the teaser, it literally says, ‘Are you ready for a sexy dance?’ I don’t see anything negative in it; it was fun.”
Both choreographers emphasized the brief they were given: the song needed to be bold and sensual. Shazia also clarified that the dancer performing the step was not Manushi Chhillar, saying, “She wasn’t even the girl who did that step… And even if it was Manushi, I don’t think it would have been a big issue.”
Piyush concluded with a broader point about artistic expression in the age of social media outrage: “If trolling starts affecting you, then you won’t be able to be creative.”
As Kufar continues trending, the debate around the video highlights once again how quickly artistic choices can become cultural flashpoints—and how creators must navigate the line between bold expression and public perception.