New Delhi: Popular Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan attempted to downplay a viral video in which he was shown viciously beating a man he claimed to be a disciple with his shoe. The video features the well-known Qawwali singer asking him about a “bottle” and continuously striking and slapping him. Saying he had no idea about it, the man is seen pleading with the singer. Attempts were made to remove the singer in order to save the pupil in a different moment.
Singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan torturing his worker !#RahatFatehAliKhan pic.twitter.com/x85D6QLNhw
— Shehzad Qureshi (@ShehxadGulHasen) January 27, 2024
Internet users were very critical of the singer after seeing the video. The man was recognised as his employee by Pakistani station Samaa TV, which also noted that violent behaviour among musicians is an alarming trend.
Later in the day, the artist released an apologetic video in which he described the incident as a “personal matter between a teacher and his student” and named the victim—Naveed Hasnain—as the one being battered in the clip.
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is a globally recognised singer and is the nephew of legendary Qawali singer Nusrat Faeh Ali Khan. To elucidate his actions, he uploaded a video that included the man who was seen being beaten up as well as his father.
Explanatory statement of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan I was asking the boy for Pir Sahib's distilled water in a bottle.#Shameful #RahatFatehAliKhan pic.twitter.com/6bqRMcAUMm
— Ahtasham Riaz (@ahtashamriaz22) January 27, 2024
“This is about a personal issue between an ustad and shagird. He is like my son. This is how the relation is between a teacher and his disciple. If a disciple does something good, I shower my love on him. If he does something wrong, he is punished,” he said in the video.
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan added that following the incident, he had also apologised to him.
While acknowledging that the event resulted from his misplacing a holy water bottle, the man who was attacked stated in the clarification video that his actions were not malicious. “He’s like my father. He loves us a lot. Whoever spread this video is trying to defame my ustad,” he added.
