Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday launched the dance number Beyonce sharma jaayegi from their upcoming film Khaali Peeli last week, and netizens started trolling the song within minutes of its launch, over what they felt were racist lyrics. The song currently also has more dislikes than likes on its official YouTube link. The words in the song that social media finds objectionable go: "Bhadkeeli nakhreeli, Chamkeeli, lachkeeli, Tu jo kamar yeh hilayegi, Tujhe dekh ke goriya, Beyonce sharma jayegi".

Now, Ishaan has opened up about the song. The actor said that lot of people have formed opinions about the Khaali Peeli song controversy 'out of context'. Speaking to Film Companion, he said, "The word 'gori' has been taken out of context, as I understand it. I have asked a lot of questions to people from rural areas, who've clarified that 'gori' has been used in multiple songs, for ages, as just referencing a girl. Like you'd say 'launda' or 'chhora', you also say 'gori', and that is the context in which it was used."