Within three days of its release, web series Tandav has invited a bunch of legal challenges in Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi and also a notice from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting following complaints that Saif Ali Khan and Dimple Kapadia-starrer hurt religious sentiments and denigrated Hindu gods and goddesses.
Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, the web-series released on OTT platform Amazon Prime Video on January 15, 2021 and almost instantly invited criticism with viewers alleging that Lord Shiva and Lord Ram have been insulted in the very first episode. There were also calls for a ban on the web series.
In a criminal complaint, filed in a court in Delhi, the petitioner alleged that ‘Tandav’ incited communal disharmony and hurt Hindu sentiments.
Earlier, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had summoned Amazon Prime Video officials in India in connection with the controversy around the web series.
BJP MP Manoj Kotak has written to I&B minister Prakash Javadekar seeking a ban on the series.
The drama series, starring Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Sunil Grover, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Dino Morea, Kumud Mishra, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Gauhar Khan and Kritika Kamra, premiered on the streaming platform on Friday last.