Recently Amazon Prime’s web series ‘Tandav’ came under the spotlight for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and insulted the Hindu Gods. Due to which many FIRs were filed against the makers against showing the god in a degradation form and later there was a demand for banning the show.
The craze of OTT grew during the lockdown when all the cinema halls were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the makers were bound to release their film on online platforms. Even the audiences are keen to watch the movies or series on the digital platform due to many reasons. One of the most important reasons it has a vast opportunity for filmmakers to show anything without any restrictions.
The big-screen movies are usually been censored before the release and unfortunately, most of the scenes which are inappropriate according to the sensor broad are copped off from the main editing.
Even the OTT platform has been impelled by the growth in the standard of living, development of smartphones, and affordable Internet connectivity which has increased the discernment in the rural areas while changing the preferences of the audiences.
Moreover, we all know that content is the king, and the OTT platform is personalized and provides an opportunity for wider focused distribution for the filmmaker. OTT has influenced ongoing TV viewership preferably than a theatrical experience.
But with the heavy consequence of the social media outrage, now, things in OTT have changed a bit as the audience are questioning some of the content the makers are showing in name of craft. Due to controversy, there is a large debate on the need for strict regulation and censoring of content hosted on Over The Top (OTT) platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hotstar.
‘Tandav’ is not the only series that came under fire; here are some of the controversial series/movies from the OTT platform which grabbed some news recently-
MIRZAPUR–
Amazon Prime’s web series ‘Mirzapur’ was one of the most successful web series and has a huge fan following for both seasons. But the show grabbed some eyeballs when people alleged that it hurts the religious sentiments by insulting Hindu Gods and portraying Uttar Pradesh in a bad light. An FIR was also filed against the show by a journalist who claimed that the series hurt his religious sentiments and portrayed the district poorly.
SCARED GAMES
The Netflix series Sacred Games showed violence, abusive language, and some explicit scenes in both seasons. But there was a complaint filed wherein a scene allegedly insult former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and in another scene, it incorrectly depicts historical events of the country like the Bofors case, Shah Bano case, Babri Masjid case, and communal riots. Even a police complaint was filed against Anurag Kashyap for allegedly hurting Sikh sentiments by adding a scene that disrespects the Sikh religious symbol in the second season.
PAATAL LOK
Amazon Prime Video’s Paatal Lok produced by Anushka Sharma faced three complaints about allegedly using BJP MLA Nandkishor Gurjar’s picture in the series without permission. Even the show was accused of showing communal tension and showing CBI in a negative light.
SUITABLE BOY
Netflix’s web series ‘A Suitable Boy’ which is an adaptation of the same name was heavily criticized over a kissing scene in the backdrop of a temple. Some politicians alleged that the show ‘hurt religious sentiments and the platform was accused of insulting “Hindu Gods and Goddesses”. Due to which #BoycottNetflix became one of the top trends on Twitter.
BOMBAY BEGUMS
The recent release of Bombay Begums by Netflix was accused of showing the inappropriate portrayal of children. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has demanded that Netflix take down the show as it pollutes the young minds of children.
Image Source – Google
Article Written By Dikhya Mohanty
