Actress and dancer Nora Fatehi broke down in tears while recalling one of the most difficult phases of her life, when her name was linked to jailed conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar in connection with a Rs 200 crore extortion and money laundering case. She opened up about the controversy, its impact on her career and the emotional toll of the investigation during an appearance on the Dream with Dr Sheen podcast.
Recalling the period, Nora said the allegations left her "traumatised" and affected both her personal and professional life.
"I will never forget that situation. I was so traumatised. My mom knows me and how she raised me, my friends know me, but that they not known me so well, they would've believed the things people were saying about me. That was a very sensitive time. I lost a lot of brands. I lost a lot of work because of that one stupid thing. Even today, people says things like 'Oh, you know, she knows that guy', or 'She dated him'. It's not the truth."
Nora explained that the public narrative continued to follow her even after the controversy, with people assuming that she had been romantically involved with Sukesh. She also spoke about her interaction with his family and the gifts she received, saying she was unaware of the larger context at the time.
"People need to think how they are handling their social media. Karma is real. Yes, I went to that event, Yes, I interacted with that person's family and wife, they gifted me a car and other things but I was told that's normal," she said.
Nora Fatehi recalls ED interrogation
Nora also opened up about being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) during the investigation. She described the experience as frightening and said she felt she had little support during those two years.
"Whatever I went through in those two years, it was crazy. It was so scary. I feel bad for myself. I wish there was someone who could help me. I really had no help to get out of that situation. There were other actors and artists who were in the same situation and got pulled out immediately. But what hurt me was the narrative that I knew the guy, I dated him and took money from him," Nora mentioned.
As she revisited the experience, Nora became emotional and broke down in tears. She described feeling isolated and confused while dealing with the scrutiny. "It was a tough one. I felt alone. I also felt confused. It was a very weird time. I was dealing with a lot and felt people very really very cruel."
Meanwhile, on the work front, Nora will next be seen in the film Kanchana 4.
