Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has been in the crosshairs of Hindu nationalists for allegedly ridiculing a Hindu god in a web series, Tandav, released on the online streaming platform, Amazon Prime.
An official from India’s ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party, has registered an FIR against the Amazon Prime web series for allegedly insulting the Hindu god and hurting the religious sentiments of people.
My letter to Hon.minister @PrakashJavdekar ji regarding regulation of the OTT platforms pic.twitter.com/twwI6OP4iM
— Manoj Kotak (@manoj_kotak) January 17, 2021
According to an Indian publication, The Wire, director Ali Abbas Zafar, producer Himanshu Krishan Mehra, writer Gaurav Solanki, and others have been named in the FIR. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up outside Saif Ali Khan’s house, owing to the possible attack on the actor by Hindu extremists. “Saif appears to have been given additional security amid mounting controversy around his show Tandav,” said the article published in Hindustan Times.
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The cases have been registered under the Indian Penal Code sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with the intent to insult the religion of any class, 505 (1) (B)- statements conducing to public mischief with an intent to cause, or which is likely to cause fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offense against the state or public tranquility).
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s media advisor shared the copy of the FIR on Twitter. “There is no tolerance for playing with people’s sentiments in Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh. A serious case has been registered against the entire team of Tandav, which is spreading hate in the guise of cheap web series. Prepare for arrest,” he wrote on Twitter in Hindi.
Taking cognizance of complaints that Hindu gods and goddesses have been ridiculed in web series #Tandav, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting sought an explanation from streaming platform #AmazonPrime Video on the issue, sources said. https://t.co/wvHeJVQ5lG
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) January 18, 2021
Earlier on Sunday, the Indian Ministry of Information had sought an explanation from Amazon Prime Video whether Hindu gods have been insulted in the video.
Protests have also been organized against Amazon Prime to warn them from broadcasting content that will hurt the religious sentiments of the people.
Other BJP leaders also believe the web series has deliberately mocked Hindu gods and disrespected the people of the religion.
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The incident has happened even after the Ministry of Information and Broadcast has brought the online streaming platforms under its watchful eyes. Meanwhile, Amazon has so far not responded to the ongoing backlash.
The streaming platforms are increasingly under attack from a religious group in India.
Last year, Netflix had landed in trouble after the series The Suitable Boy featured a kissing scene between a Hindu-Muslim couple in a temple.