Indian web series have become a HIT with the audience ever since the lockdown had been imposed.
However, there have been several such series that have faced severe controversy. Check out these 7:
(It is to be noted that the government recently brought even OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar under the ambit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, giving it powers to regulate policies and rules for the online space)
Saif Ali Khan’s latest political drama ‘Tandav’ which released on Amazon Prime Video has landed itself in legal trouble. Several political leaders took offence at the particular scene in which Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, a stage performer is seen playing Lord Shiva and is heard saying, “Azaadi, what the…?” The Maharashtra BJP MLA, Ram Kadam, also filed a complaint against Tandav’s creators, actors and director.
Director Ali Abbas Zafar has publicly apologized for the same and has confirmed that the show will be renamed to avoid any reference to any religion.
Meanwhile, we’ve made a list of other such Indian web series that have landed in legal trouble.
1. Mirzapur 2
After its release, Anupriya Patel, a Member of Parliament from Mirzapur constituency demanded action against the web series. She had alleged that the show is portraying the state of Uttar Pradesh as a ‘violent’ region. She also mentioned that the show was spreading ethnic disharmony.
2. Pataal Lok
BJP MLA Nandkishore Gurjar had filed an FIR against the show and the producer alleging that the makers had used his image without permission. The image is used in a scene when a national highway is inaugurated.
Not just Nandkishore, but various other BJP leaders, including UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s image has been used in the scene. As per a DNA report, besides the FIR Gurjar demanded that a case be filed against Anushka under National Security Act, for causing communal stir and portraying different Hindu agencies in a negative light. The complaint claims the series to have ‘anti-national’ content. He also argued that it shows Gurjars as dacoits and people associated with malpractices.
3. The Family Man
The political party RSS had raised objections about a few dialogues in the series in relation to the Indian government’s action of abrogating Article 370 in which it granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
4. Leila
The Netflix series Leila was called ‘anti Hindu’ for depicting the dystopian future of Aryavarta where purity of blood is enforced.
Ramesh N Solanki, a Hindu activist and member of Shiv Sena’s IT Cell, filed a complaint against US-based digital media platform Netflix for defaming Hindus. A part of Solanki’s complaint against several web series on the platform read, “Aryavrat will be a land of bigots, casteists, Muslim-hating, women-hating patriarchal sect. The term ‘Aryavrat’ is an undertone to suggest that the Hindu Rashtra is/will be of this kind. The SC’s earlier verdict that was recently upheld said that Hindu is a way of life. And to suggest that the way of life will be like a radical cult, is demeaning and hurts our religious sentiments.”
5. Sacred Games
Ramesh N Solanki had an issue with yet another Indian web series as he wrote a complaint against Sacred Games. He wrote, “Aham Brahmasami, a Vedic chant and a sacred hymn has been framed as a war cry. People belonging to a cult greet each other with this hymn, suggesting that the hymn radicalises people to indulge in war against humanity. The film generalises a revered concept of Guruji in the Bharatiya school of thoughts. The agenda is to demean the Guru-Shishya parampara with overtly sexual gestures.”
The complaint continued, “One of our country’s social reformer is fondly called Guruji and this series seems to attack the revered person. To show the ruling dispensation is influenced by Guruji is to show that the Government of India is influenced by RSS and RSS’ Guruji will go for a nuclear war. That the RSS vide Guruji will use Muslims to spread terror. In order to avoid controversy the producer suggested that the character is based on Rajneesh. Not the plot of the series but its agenda is a sinister plot.”
6. Aashram
The petition against the web series Aashram, resembling the name of a convicted godman, was filed by a local resident named Khush Khandelwal, the report said. His petition read, “The portrayal of Deol as a Hindu saint has hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus, who respect and worship saints. His portrayal as a rapist, corrupt, and drug dealer has diminished the place saints hold for Hindus.”
Khandelwal had also complained to the police, filing an FIR against director Prakash Jha and actor Bobby Deol. However, the police refused to lodge any case over his complaint. This led him to move to the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJMM) with the same plea. With the ACJMM too rejecting his plea, Khandelwal had then approached the Jodhpur district and session judge challenging the ACJJM’s previous decision.
7. Ghoul
Ramesh N Solanki struck again with another complaint against another web series. Ghoul is a horror series on Netflix.
Solanki’s complaint explains that the Indian Army is shown as the one killing people who are considered to be radical but who actually aren’t. Custodial killings has been shown as a routine affair by the Army. “One cannot allow an incorrect generalisation based on bogus rhetorics (sic) trying to defame a religious minority i.e. Hindu in countries other than India,” Solanki said in his complaint.