Nora Fatehi: From Toronto to Dilbar and the 2026 World Cup Stage

On 12 June 2026, Nora Fatehi walked onto a stage in Toronto, the city where she grew up, and performed Siir Siir with French singer Vegedream at the second opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup. Twelve years earlier she had been a Canadian dancer making her Hindi film debut in an adventure film set in the Sundarbans, Roar: Tigers of the Sundarbans.

The distance between those two stages is the story of her career. She became known in India for dance numbers in Telugu and Hindi films, turned Dilbar into a song that reached one billion YouTube views in March 2021, and has since taken on acting roles, judged dance shows and released music with artists including Jason Derulo, Badshah and Shilpa Rao.

Older profiles of her are full of rumours about relationships and money. This one sticks to what can be sourced, and the FAQ explains what was left out.

Who Is Nora Fatehi?

Nora Fatehi is a Canadian dancer, actress and singer who works mainly in Hindi cinema and has also appeared in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada films. Her Instagram bio calls her a self-taught dancer, and Filmfare wrote in 2021 that no one in the industry dances with her conviction.

How Old Is Nora Fatehi?

Nora Fatehi is 34 years old as of October 2026. She was born on 6 February 1992 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Early Life and Background

Fatehi was born Naura Fathi in Toronto and raised there. Wikipedia, citing The Hindu, lists Moroccan descent on both her father’s and mother’s sides. Some older profiles said her mother’s family came from Punjab, which Belloria could not confirm. She went to Westview Centennial Secondary School and studied political science and international relations at York University. She has said in interviews that she considers herself “an Indian at heart.”

Career

Debut and Telugu dance numbers (2014 to 2016)

Her acting debut was the role of CJ in Roar: Tigers of the Sundarbans (2014). Her breakthrough in the south came through special-appearance songs: Ittage Recchipodham in Temper (2015), Manohari in Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and a number in Kick 2 (2015). She also appeared in Mr. X and the Malayalam film Double Barrel the same year.

Bigg Boss and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (2015 to 2016)

In December 2015 she entered Bigg Boss 9 as a wild card contestant and spent about three weeks in the house before being evicted. She was a contestant on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 9 in 2016 and finished 10th.

Dilbar and the breakthrough (2018 to 2019)

The turning point was Dilbar, the recreated song in John Abraham’s Satyameva Jayate (2018). Wikipedia reports that it crossed 20 million YouTube views in its first 24 hours, a first for a Hindi song in India. She followed it with an Arabic version with the Moroccan group Fnaire, and the same year danced in Kamariya in Stree and starred as Sandy in My Birthday Song.

In February 2019 she signed with T-Series as an exclusive artist. That year she appeared in O Saki O Saki in Batla House, Ek Toh Kum Zindagani in Marjaavaan and as Suzan Vilayati Khan in Bharat. She also released Pepeta with Tanzanian musician Rayvanny, her first international English-language single.

Street Dancer 3D to the FIFA World Cup (2020 to 2022)

In Street Dancer 3D (2020) she played Mia opposite Varun Dhawan. On 6 March 2021, Dilbar crossed one billion YouTube views, which made her the first African-Arab female artiste to reach that mark. She played the spy Heena Rehman in Bhuj: The Pride of India (2021), replacing Parineeti Chopra, according to The Times of India. In 2022 she appeared in Manike in Thank God, recorded Light The Sky for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 soundtrack and performed at the tournament’s closing ceremony. She also judged Dance Deewane Juniors and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10.

Acting roles and a global music push (2023 to 2025)

In February 2024 Fatehi signed a recording deal with Warner Music Group while staying with T-Series for Bollywood work. Her 2024 films included Crakk, where she replaced Jacqueline Fernandez and where Hindustan Times said she was used as a mere prop, and Madgaon Express, where Rediff said she finally got a proper role. She also appeared in the Telugu film Matka. In 2025 she was in Be Happy, the series The Royals and Ufff Yeh Siyapaa, and made a special appearance in the song Dilbar Ki Aankhon Ka in Thamma. Her 2025 singles included Snake with Jason Derulo and Oh Mama! TETEMA with Shreya Ghoshal and Rayvanny.

Major Work and Notable Projects

Awards are few. She won Fashion Trailblazer at the Pinkvilla Style Icons Awards in 2023, and she is a brand ambassador for Dabur and CakeZone.

Current Projects and Latest Updates

The 2026 World Cup performance

Siir Siir, credited to Nora Fatehi with Vegedream and Sanjoy, is on the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album. Fatehi and Vegedream performed it on 12 June 2026 in Toronto, her home city, at the second opening ceremony of the tournament.

KD: The Devil and Kanchana 4

In 2026 she appeared as Senorita in the song Sarse Ninna Seraga Sarse in the Kannada action drama KD: The Devil, which starred Dhruva Sarja and Sanjay Dutt and reached cinemas on 30 April 2026. Her next listed acting project is the Tamil film Kanchana 4, directed by Raghava Lawrence and produced by Manish Shah, which was reported to be filming with Pooja Hegde in the cast. No release date has been officially confirmed.

New singles

Her 2026 singles include Sajan Re with Badshah, Body Roll with Yo Yo Honey Singh and Ya Baba with Shilpa Rao. In August 2025 she also announced plans to open a dance academy, according to News18.

Social Media Stats

Social media figures are approximate and may change. Her YouTube channel, @NoraFatehi, had about 4.6 million subscribers in July 2026 according to a third-party tracker.

Personal Life

Nora Fatehi has not publicly confirmed a current relationship. Older profiles listed several rumoured partners; Belloria found no reliable confirmation of any of them and does not repeat them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Belloria Stories