Though the saffron brigade might be trying to derive mileage, but OTT content does need to be cleaned up
The ongoing controversy over Amazon Prime’s new web series ‘Tandav’ is not something new to the country and similar contentious debates took place at the time of the release of movies like the Deepika Padukone-starrer Padmaavat and Aamir Khan’s PK. The political drama, in which Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub have played lead roles was released on the Over-the-Top (OTT) media platform on January 15. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have taken umbrage at a scene in which Ayyub performs a play as Lord Shiva. With Maharashtra BJP MLA Ram Kadam filing a police complaint at Mumbai’s Ghatkopar Police Station and seeking the boycott of the series, it becomes amply clear that the row is politically-motivated and the saffron brigade will leave no stone unturned to derive maximum mileage out of the issue. Particularly in view of the forthcoming West Bengal elections, as the saffron party portray’s itself as the “protector” of the faith. That Kadam is refusing to budge from his demand of a boycott of the series despite the cast and crew issuing an “unconditional” apology on Monday evening, clarifying that they did not intend to offend religious beliefs or sentiments, is a clear indication of this. They also referred to parts of a disclaimer that is an industry standard and said ‘Tandav’ was a “work of fiction” and that “any resemblance to acts and persons and events is purely coincidental.” Kadam has now gone one step ahead and asked all Hindus to shun Amazon’s shopping site and content platform. So obviously he is spoiling for a fight. Fortunately, an online series rules out the possibility of aggressive Hindu fringe elements threatening the audience and burning movie theatres.
Another BJP leader Manoj Kotak, the MP from Mumbai North-East, wrote to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) expressing strong objections to the web series. He too, demanded an immediate ban on the streaming of the show. With the BJP being in power at the Centre, the I&B Ministry has reportedly sought a response from Amazon Prime officials. The Government recently brought OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar, besides other online news and current affairs content, under the ambit of the I&B Ministry, giving it powers to regulate policies and rules for the digital space. The advocates of free speech have always underscored that the right to freedom of speech and expression cannot be curtailed and the Indian Constitution guarantees it. Though one agrees with this sentime, and the fact that the right to expression is sacrosanct, it doesn’t give anyone a licence to hurt the religious sentiments of any community by insulting their gods and goddess or by potraying them in a bad light. But that said, one cannot but help wonder how is it that “Hindu sentiments” were never as fragile as they are today. Has not India always been a country that has been proud of its tolerant nature and the fact that we follow the Gandhians principles of “ahimsa.” Are we now a nation that is deeply divided and intolerance towards even an imagined slight is the new normal? How then, are we any different from those who waged a war against Charlie Hebdo? Needless to say, the controversy surrounding ‘Tandav’ and the slight, real or imagined, has provided more fodder to fringe elements who thrive on disturbing communal harmony and targeting minorities. As a result of this, two FIRs have been registered against the makers of the show, one in Mumbai and the other in Lucknow. Reportedly, the charges include promoting enmity between different religious groups, race, destruction, damage or defilement of a place of worship or an object held sacred. Things are definitely going to be tough for the makers of ‘Tandav’. But one wonders why the upholders of Indian culture and values don’t raise a hue and cry over the kind of content that we see on the OTT platform, which is saturated with violence, nudity, abuses, derogatory gestures and remarks. It would be wonderful to clean up the content overall, instead of just focusing on religion.
