Trouble continues for Tandav: FIRs filed in UP, producers apologise
The controversy surrounding Amazon Prime Video’s new web series ‘Tandav’ starring Saif Ali Khan continued on Monday with the complaints being filed against the makers and the platform for promoting enmity and hurting Hindu sentiments, even as the issued an unconditional apology for unintentionally hurting sentiments.
The web series, a nine-episode political thriller, was released online on January 15.
The Uttar Pradesh Police booked the producers of the series based on a complaint by senior sub-inspector (SSI) Amarnath Yadav posted at the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow.
Lucknow Police’s deputy commissioner (central) Somen Barma said, “The FIR has been lodged against Aparna Purohit, an official of Amazon; Ali Abbas Zafar, the director of the web series’ Himashu Krishna Mehra, the producer; Gaurav Solanki, the writer, and others.”
In his complaint, Yadav alleged that he received information that clips of the web series, which are allegedly defamatory against a particular group in the society, were being circulated widely on various social media platforms.“A four-member police team is investigating the matter,” the DCP said.
Similar complaints against Tandav have also been lodged in Sitapur and Rae Bareli districts.
Madhya Pradesh home minister and BJP leader Narottam Mishra threatened to initiate legal action against the producers and the platform. Soon after his statement, members of Sanskriti Bachao Manch lodged a complaint at TT Nagar police station in Bhopal against maker of the web series.
Later in the day, and crew of Tandav issued a statement saying they did not intend to hurt any sentiments.
An FIR has been lodged here against the makers of web series ‘Tandav’ and Amazon’s India head of original content for allegedly depicting Hindu gods in a manner hurtful to religious sentiments of the people.
The FIR against Aparna Purohit, the head of Amazon’s India head of original content, director of the series Ali Abbas, producer Himanshu Krishna Mehra, writer Gaurav Solanki, and an unknown person was lodged late on Sunday night by senior Sub Inspector Amar Nath Yadav at the Hazratganj Kotwali police station here.
The film starring Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Sunil Grover, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Dino Morea, Kumud Mishra, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Gauhar Khan and Kritika Kamra, premiered on the streaming platform on Friday. Taking to Twitter, BSP president Mayawati called for removing the objectionable content from the web series.
“Protests are being registered against some scenes hurting the religious and ethnic sentiments in the Tandav web series, in respect of which it would be appropriate to remove whatever is objectionable so that the atmosphere of peace, harmony and mutual brotherhood in the country is not spoiled anywhere,” she said.
According to the FIR, following public outrage expressed on social media platforms, the web series was viewed and it was found in the 17th minute of the first episode of the series that Hindu gods and goddesses have been allegedly presented in an “undignified manner’ and shown using language which is hurtful to religious sentiments. Dialogues in the web series can incite caste anger, the FIR stated.
It also alleged that the person occupying the high post of Prime Minister of India has been portrayed in a very belittling manner besides there are scenes in which castes have been presented as low and high and women in an insulting manner.
The FIR further alleged that intent of the web series is to incite religious sentiments of a particular community and create enmity among classes.This act of the producer-director has hurt and incited religious and caste sentiments of the people, the FIR added.
Taking cognizance of complaints that Hindu gods and goddesses have been ridiculed in the web series, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had on Sunday sought an explanation from streaming platform Amazon Prime Video on the issue, people familiar with the matter had said.
The development came after BJP MP Manoj Kotak on Sunday said he has written to Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar seeking a ban on Amazon Prime Video’s series ‘Tandav’ for ridiculing Hindu deities.
“The ministry has taken cognizance of the matter (complaints) and asked Amazon Prime Video to explain,” a source in the ministry had said.
Kotak, the MP from Mumbai North-East, said different organisations and individuals have complained that Hindu gods and goddesses have been ridiculed in the ‘Tandav’ web series.
When contacted about the complaints, Amazon Prime Video PR had said the platform “won’t be responding” on the matter.
IT WAS FOUND IN THE FIRST EPISODE OF THE SERIES THAT HINDU GODS AND GODDESSES HAVE BEEN PRESENTED IN AN ‘UNDIGNIFIED MANNER’, THE
FIR STATED