Nora Fatehi has spoken about one of the most difficult chapters of her life, recalling the years she spent dealing with public scrutiny after being linked to jailed conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar in connection with the Rs 200-crore extortion and money laundering case.Speaking on the Dream with Dr Sheen podcast, the actress and dancer said the controversy had a profound impact on her emotionally and professionally. She admitted that even today, certain situations can trigger memories of what she went through.
Nora Fatehi says controversy left her ‘traumatised’
Reflecting on the episode, Nora said she remains cautious whenever her agency books her for events because of what happened during that period.“I am so traumatised that today if my agency books me for an event, I go for the event because I have to make money, but I’m scared thinking of what’s going to happen,” she said.Nora also recalled how the controversy resulted in narratives about her that she insists were untrue. She said the situation became particularly difficult because she was simultaneously preparing for the World Cup and did not want the controversy to derail an important professional opportunity.“I was consistently scared of what my image is. I lost a lot of brands. I lost a lot of work,” she said, adding that opportunities she had worked towards for years suddenly disappeared.
‘Work that I worked towards for decades came to me and then just left’
Nora said the professional consequences were especially painful because they came after years of building her career.“Work that I worked towards for decades to get came to me and then just left because of that one stupid thing,” she said.She also addressed claims that she knew Chandrasekhar personally, dated him or accepted gifts from him for personal reasons. Nora strongly denied those allegations and said false narratives surrounding the controversy continue to follow her.“People say things like, ‘Oh, you know, she knows that guy and she dated him and took gifts.’ And it’s not the truth,” she said.The actress added that she worries such narratives could affect her personal life in the future, particularly if a potential partner were to come across them online.
Nora says she felt ‘really alone’ during the controversy
The emotional impact of the controversy became particularly evident during the podcast when Nora was asked whether she had felt alone at the time.“Yeah, I did. I did. I felt alone,” she said, becoming emotional.Nora recalled feeling confused about where the allegations and narratives had originated and said she spent a considerable amount of time defending herself against claims she believed were false.“I was just dealing with a lot and I felt like people were really, really cruel,” she said.She also reflected on how difficult the experience could have been for someone who did not have the same emotional resilience.“For someone who has thick skin like me and being able to go through that the way I did, I just think about had it been someone else in my situation, maybe might not have that kind of thick skin,” she said.
‘Nobody knows the truth about my personal life’
Nora further spoke about how little the public actually knows about her personal life. She said years of speculation have often painted a picture that is very different from her own reality.“Nobody knows the truth about my personal life. Nobody. Maybe one or two people,” she said.She also said that much of what is written about her personal life online or in the media should not automatically be treated as fact.“Anything you read in the comments, in the press, in social media, trust me, is fake,” Nora said.The actress revealed that she had gone through a “very toxic situation” for several years, saying she had kept details private because she feared people would not believe her account.“I went through that from like 2018 to like 2023. That’s a long time,” she said, adding that she only began rebuilding herself and getting over the experience around 2024.
Nora on being judged by one controversy
The actress also spoke about another experience in which she felt her entire career was reduced to a single narrative. According to Nora, one controversy was used to portray her as someone who “just does vulgar dancing”, which she said ignored the larger journey of her career.“They took it and they painted my whole career as someone who just does vulgar dancing and just spoiling our generation,” she said. “That’s not what my career journey has been at all.”Nora said she felt her decade-long body of work had been “devalued” and “degraded” because of one narrative.“I’m not arrogant. I’m actually just very confident in myself and very confident in my upbringing and my values,” she said.
‘Whatever is meant for you will come to you’
Despite the difficult experiences, Nora said her faith and belief in destiny helped her move forward. She explained that she has learned to accept that certain opportunities and people may leave her life for a reason.“If something is meant for you, what’s yours is going to come to you whether they do all that or not,” she said.She added, “Whatever is taken away from you was not good for you.”