Nora Fatehi is the new Morocco-Bollywood Sensation with her recent achievement of 5 million followers on Instagram. The Canadian born singer, actress, and dance phenomenon, with roots in Morocco, can celebrate how her entertainment career in Bollywood has paid off. On June 6th, 2019, Fatehi became the most followed Moroccan woman on Instagram. To highlight the occasion she shared a spoof of herself taking over the world.
Fatehi is Moroccan by descent. In an interview with Femme de Maroc, she explains how positioning herself as an entertainer in India was the best way to break into the competitive industry. “I felt Bollywood was the best place to mix acting and be noticed.”
Although her fan base in India continued to grow, Fatehi felt she could achieve more. She realized the opportunity of a larger impact and sought out to connect with her Arab roots.
Fatehi collaborated with the Moroccan hip-hop group Fnaïre, fusing Bollywood and Moroccan culture. Together they released an Arabic version of the Dilbar song. On day one of the release, the song received 20 million views on Youtube.
“I always felt that people will notice me in an Arabic style. Dilbar combined Arabic with Bollywood. I consider it a Moroccan project as it was filmed in Marrakech.” Fnaire is a contemporary Moroccan hip hop group native to Marrakech. It is composed of three singers: Mohcine Tizaf, Khalifa Mennani, and Ashraf Aarab.
Although Fatehi considers herself “Indian at heart” she has a deep appreciation for Morocco. When asked about adapting to the Indian culture, Fatehi says “I visited Morocco a lot when I was growing up. I didn’t experience culture shock because of my multi-cultural upbringing.”
Furthermore, the actress credits her strength in part to being Moroccan born. “I feel that Moroccan women are one of the most talented and beautiful in the world. We have so much to offer. I want everyone to follow their dreams and not let anyone stop them. My goal is to continue combining Moroccan culture with Indian culture.”
Fatehi continues to travel between India and Morocco. In Spring 2019, she participated in the Moroccan Caftan Show. “I love the caftan. It is elegant and graceful. I would love to introduce it in India at award events.”