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Amazon faces backlash from BJP lawmakers over Saif Ali Khan-starrer web series Tandav

Amazon faces backlash from BJP lawmakers over Saif Ali Khan-starrer web series Tandav

Additional security stationed outside actor's Mumbai home as BJP leader asks "all Hindus to stop buying from Amazon".
Updated 18 Jan, 2021

A local official from India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party has registered a police complaint against an Amazon Prime web series alleging it insults Hindu gods and goddesses, and threatened to launch a protest at the company’s office in Mumbai.

According to NDTV, the director, producer and writer of the Saif Ali Khan-Dimple Kapadia starrer Tandav and Amazon's head of India Original Content have been accused in the case of promoting religious enmity and defiling a place of worship.

Protests against Amazon.com have been organised for Monday to warn it not to show scenes insulting Hindu gods and goddesses, Ram Kadam, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of the Maharashtra legislative assembly, said in a tweet after filing a complaint with police in Mumbai on Sunday.

Kadam, according to News18, said on Monday that he will head to the offices of Amazon Prime Video and seek an apology. "All Hindus should stop buying from Amazon and delete the Prime Video app. Saif Ali Khan would have seen the script, why did he agree to be a part of the show? He should clarify his stand. They should remove the series and apologise to all Hindus," he said.

Set in Delhi, Tandav by hit filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar features an array of characters scheming for political power. The political drama also drew the ire of other lawmakers from the BJP, causing fresh controversy for the e-commerce giant which last year had to withdraw dozens of rugs and doormats depicting Hindu gods from its international Amazon.com platform after a backlash in India.

BJP Member of Parliament Manoj Kotak, in a letter to India’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar dated Saturday, said that the makers of Tandav “have deliberately mocked Hindu gods and disrespected Hindu religious sentiments”.

He called on the ministry to immediately form an authority to regulate streaming platforms, and in the meantime called for a ban on the series.

Amazon did not respond to requests for comment.

According to Hindustan Times, police personnel were spotted stationed outside Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor's home in Mumbai on Sunday. "Saif appears to have been given additional security amid mounting controversy around his show Tandav," said the article.

India late last year brought streaming platforms under the oversight of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and said it plans to regulate their content.

Reuters partner ANI reported on Sunday that the ministry had summoned Amazon Prime Video officials in connection with the controversy.

Streaming services have gained traction in India because of the availability of affordable smartphones and cheap mobile data, making the South Asian nation a battleground for Amazon, Netflix and Disney as they seek to expand outside their home markets.

Comments

Sane Mind1st Jan 18, 2021 11:57am
Respect the Sentiments. Be it any Religion.
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Vaibhav Jan 18, 2021 12:03pm
Do not agree with BJP lawmakers here. No religion is so weak that it will be in danger just coz of a web series.
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sherry saleem Jan 18, 2021 12:07pm
shiny india showing its true colors...
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Mike Jan 18, 2021 12:07pm
Oh Give me a Break, you hypocrites!
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Kate Angel Dinara Jan 18, 2021 12:14pm
Yes, it's as simple as if someone make drama series in the name of any religious character & that character in foul language dialogues presentation.. I think no religion person will accept this...
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Rahul Jan 18, 2021 12:38pm
'Vaibhav - Do not agree with BJP lawmakers here. No religion is so weak that it will be in danger just coz of a web series.'' Yes webseries on other religion should be also made to counter your thoughts. And the world will be more tolerant then.
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Nitin Mukesh Jan 18, 2021 12:45pm
@sherry saleem Just two word! Charlie Hebdo!
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noyantara Jan 18, 2021 12:45pm
Saif, Kareena and Taimur should move to Pakistan now.
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Kris Jan 18, 2021 12:51pm
At least his head is still intact. In some other parts of the world, they would have detached from each other. This looks like a publicity stunt. Or perhaps a political move. The religious references I have heard looks rather innocuous.
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sid Jan 18, 2021 12:59pm
Muslims should be last one to complain on this matter.
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Maverick Jan 18, 2021 01:12pm
Reminds me the very first episode of House of Cards. When Frankunderwood(Kevin Spacy) was shown the door and was not made Secretary of State. He looked at Camera(his way of telling things) and decided to no get upset but create a fortune for himself
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Syed ahmed Jan 18, 2021 01:12pm
When padmavad song has little skin off deepika , we already know more has to come, basically Bollywood should stop making historical movies sake off religious an safety to actor specially saif ali khan always pick up the topic another person heard felling ,is good Pakistani government ban his movie
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Shiva Jan 18, 2021 01:22pm
@sherry saleem As if you people are very tolerant.
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MANOJ GUPTA Jan 18, 2021 01:45pm
Is spreading religious hatred only way to earn money
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Ali Mehdi Jan 18, 2021 01:54pm
We can’t hurt religious sentiments. Why can’t the film makers realize that they can get into troubles by depicting religious intricacies in a dubious manner. Why to stir a controversy.
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FAZ Jan 18, 2021 02:08pm
@Sane Mind1st I hope Modi gee would have said something to his French counterpart too
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Aman ki Asha Jan 18, 2021 02:09pm
Blasphemy is not acceptable. Any religion, any country, any part of the world. Let the culprits repent their actions and come out with public apology to close the case.
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Akram Jan 18, 2021 02:13pm
@Nitin Mukesh “ Just two word! Charlie Hebdo!” Charlie hebdo tragedy was not unleashed by any government. Just like the Norwegian killer who shot 79 people wasn’t acting on Norway government advice but his own. Here it is a BJP ruling government lawmaker who is starting proceedings. This is why it is so deplorable.
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saara Jan 18, 2021 02:15pm
Almost all Bollywood movies these days are anti Islam and hurt the sentiments of Muslims yet Indian Muslims never complain. So why should Hindus need to create a fuss over a flop movie which may never be watched by a majority of Indians?
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Shiven Jan 18, 2021 02:18pm
Web series are just a means of serving porn & obsenity in another way. Not decent at all.
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Chrís Dăn Jan 18, 2021 02:19pm
India is no more a secular country. It needs to remove word"secular" from her constitution.
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Chrís Dăn Jan 18, 2021 02:19pm
@Vaibhav thats a secular approach.
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Ifti Malik Jan 18, 2021 02:29pm
Pakistanis and Indians just the same, duped by emotions and religion. Nothing will change here until extremists on both sides are permanently removed from the socio-political spheres.
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RationalBabu Jan 18, 2021 02:40pm
@Syed ahmed you really need to work on your English!
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Gau Jan 18, 2021 02:53pm
Surrendra who, BJP!
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Sana Jan 18, 2021 02:55pm
@sherry saleem why would you tolerate things said against YOUR religion?
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Bikram Singh Jan 18, 2021 03:04pm
Hi Guys! Just one line, " If you can't tolerate the insult of your faith, don't justify the insult of others faith"
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KSRana Jan 18, 2021 03:08pm
Why they can not make movies on their own religion? but they know punishment.
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Gopal Patel Jan 18, 2021 03:15pm
Religious sentiments of the Hindus are similar to those of the Muslims.
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sultan Jan 18, 2021 03:30pm
@Sane how about letting others express themselves as they want instead of becoming a self appointed judge and jury to control others?
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Nitin Mukesh Jan 18, 2021 04:38pm
@Akram U didnt get the point! what I am saying is nobody has the rights to hurt someone relugious sentiment and who can understand it better than my muslim friends.
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Drr Jan 18, 2021 05:38pm
I have seen it, nothing derogatory, perhaps the "treachery" played by the politicians in the series irked them.
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Marquis de Sade Jan 18, 2021 05:39pm
@saara would you care to name just a few such movies? Sentiment against Pakistan should not be construed to mean anti-Islam.
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Mr ShakinSweating Jan 18, 2021 05:49pm
@Akram Charly hebdo is a wonderfful example of tolerancy
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BJP Jan 18, 2021 07:44pm
We are nothing the people decide
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TruthMatters Jan 18, 2021 07:44pm
Guess ‘freedom of speech’ and ‘democracy’ credentials are only touted to Western firms, just to lure them into the Hindutva Republic. The reality, on the other hand, couldn’t be more starkly different.
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well-wisher Jan 18, 2021 08:30pm
Freedom of expression? No.
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ravin Jan 18, 2021 08:35pm
Kick Amazon out of India, it is a monopolistic monster
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Cgdgj Jan 18, 2021 09:59pm
@saara is it. I don’t know of any.
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Uday Sharma Jan 18, 2021 10:46pm
@saara gimme just one example?
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RationalBabu Jan 19, 2021 03:48am
@Uday Sharma silence, as expected!
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Ali da Malanga Jan 19, 2021 04:24am
@Shiva - "@sherry saleem As if you people are very tolerant." Those killing others on merely a suspicion of eating beef should not talk about tolerance.
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Ajay Dutt Jan 19, 2021 09:38am
@Ali Mehdi - Thanks for your condemning the act of hurting Hindu religious feelings. A rare act in the Islamic community in the subcontinent, but the empathy is there in Humane segments.
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Talha Jan 19, 2021 11:00am
@Sane Mind1st The BJP lawmakee isn't defending any religion but his cult which is dangerous.
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Aws Jan 19, 2021 01:02pm
@saara let’s put is photo and see if they don’t protest
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bhaRAT© Jan 19, 2021 03:28pm
Touchy lot with fragile self-esteem!
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Aanand Jan 20, 2021 11:57am
@Vaibhav Hey Bro, With due respect, would like to ask you a simple question, with your kind permission. dear.... , Parents who give birth & brought up smbdy are also no way week to with-stand verbal or physical abuse from their chidren. But does it any possible way gvs right to their children to inflict that dirty gesture on them. Please ponder.
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Aanand Jan 20, 2021 12:03pm
@saara if someone is blind or insenseitive, it doesn't mean everyone else should also be...
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TP LINK Jan 20, 2021 12:58pm
I remember how people how some reacted to Chalie Hebdo and how some people reacted to this web series.
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Jeet Jan 20, 2021 05:53pm
@Sane Mind1st - Thanks but no thanks. We dont feel threatened by any kind of criticism.
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