Rahat Fateh Ali Khan criticised for assaulting 'protege' in viral video, issues clarification

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan found himself at the centre of a controversy after a video of him allegedly slapping a person went viral on social media on Saturday, following which the renowned Pakistani singer said it was an attempt to tarnish his image.

In the purported video, Khan can be seen repeatedly hitting and slapping the man, whom he later identified as his protege Naveed Hasnain, with a slipper.

Khan's name started trending on X hours after the 1.03-minute clip went viral, with many users calling out the singer for his misbehaviour. It couldn't be ascertained when and where the said video was filmed.

The singer, known for hit Hindi movie songs such as "Mann ki Lagan" and "Jiya Dhadak Dhadak", later shared a series of videos on Instagram as a clarification.

Khan, 49, termed the viral video an "internal matter" between a master and his disciple.

In a separate video, Khan said the person who shot the video was trying to tarnish his image.

According to Hasnain, he had misplaced a bottle which contained "holy water".

Hasnain also said his family and Khan's relationship transcends 40 years and whatever one saw in the viral clip was a "lie".

The criticism on social media didn't stop even after Khan tried to clear the air, with many terming his explanation about hitting his protege "lame" and "embarrassing".