Finding itself in a pickle once again for pandering anti-Hindu content on its platform, Amazon and its executives have been summoned by the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry after a host of complaints were filed around the country for its recently released web series ‘Tandav‘.
“The ministry has called executives of the video streaming service and decided to seek an explanation from them over the matter,” reported Hindustan Times. Meanwhile, officials from Amazon Prime Video told the news agency PTI that the platform “won’t be responding” to media queries on the matter.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has taken cognisance of the complaints against web series #Tandav and has sought an explanation from Amazon Prime Video: Sources
— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2021
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video Video, Tandav is a political propaganda drama directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, with Saif Ali Khan, Sunil Grover, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub, and Dimple Kapadia in the lead roles, along with Tigmanshu Dhulia, Kumud Mishra, Kritika Kamra, Dino Morea, Gauhar Khan, and Sandhya Mridul.
The series, Tandav, is based on a young leader named Samar Pratap Singh, whose father and the country’s Prime Minister Devkinandan dies suddenly. The whole web series shows how he fulfils his responsibilities, what challenges he fights, and how people become his enemies.
TFI has already done a nuanced and neat dissection of what all is wrong with Tandav and how it goes out of its way to hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus. With such blatant propaganda thrown at the viewer’s face from the first episode of the series, the writing was on the wall and, finally, the hammer has been brought down.
Read more: Amazon Prime’s new release Tandav is a JNU rip-off replete with insults on Hindu Gods
The I&B ministry has been incredibly lax in dealing with such OTT platforms and the repeated anti-Hindu content they serve to its mass audience. In the ambit of creative liberty, the left-liberal cabal which usually helms such projects, more often than not, crosses the line. And it is usually Hindus that are dubbed as the root cause of all the evil plaguing the society.
It was only after several BJP leaders and right-wing personalities on Twitter complained to the I&B ministry and forced Prakash Javadekar to take a stand that the Amazon executives were summoned to explain their actions.
एक वेब सीरीज का विरोध होगा, दूसरी आ जाएगी । परमानेंट सोल्ल्युशन निकलना चाहिए नही तो जीवन भर ट्रेंड कराते रह जाएंगे । @PrakashJavdekar जी वेबसीरिज पर चलने वाले कंटेंट के लिए गाइड लाइन बनाई जाए ताकि किसी की धार्मिक भावना को आहत करने वाला और घटिया कंटेंट पर लगाम लगाई जा सके ।
— Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga (@TajinderBagga) January 16, 2021
My letter to Hon.minister @PrakashJavdekar ji regarding regulation of the OTT platforms pic.twitter.com/twwI6OP4iM
— Manoj Kotak (@manoj_kotak) January 17, 2021
Dear @PrakashJavdekar,
OTT apps are creating 1 anti-Hindu series after another. #Tandav is the latest. We can uninstall OTT apps, boycott the shows but when will you take these guys to task?You are the I&B Minister. Do you even realize that?
Regards,
A BJP fan & a staunch Hindu— Atul Mishra (@TheAtulMishra) January 16, 2021
Surprisingly, BSP supremo Mayawati also took offence to the content of the web series Tandav and expressed her displeasure on Twitter.
’ताण्डव’ वेब सीरीज में धार्मिक व जातीय आदि भावना को आहत करने वाले कुछ दृश्यों को लेकर विरोध दर्ज किए जा रहे हैं, जिसके सम्बंध में जो भी आपत्तिजनक है उन्हें हटा दिया जाना उचित होगा ताकि देश में कहीं भी शान्ति, सौहार्द व आपसी भाईचारे का वातावरण खराब न हो।
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) January 18, 2021
Reportedly, the I&B Ministry, after being put under the scanner, is now working to bring in a law facilitating the self-regulation of OTT platforms like Amazon Prime Video. A glimmer of hope has been given by Javadekar & co. and hopefully, the lot comes through this time and puts an end to all the sub-standard trash that is dished on such platforms in the guise of creative liberty.
If they care about the FOE, why only the Hindu religion is targeted? If all religions were mocked equally, the Hindus would not get offended. Of course, in that case, the Hindus may not have to worry at all. The other religions’ people would take care of their FOE permanently.