The web series Tandav, which was released on January 15 on Amazon Prime, is gaining criticism for Hinduphobic content. Viewers have alleged that it not only has castist content but also insults Lord Shiva and Lord Ram. Amid growing criticism of the Saif Ali Khan starer show, BJP’s Ram Kadam has filed a complaint against actor Zeeshan Ayyub and the web series demanding an apology for insulting Hindu Gods. He asked why films and web series are regularly indulging in spreading Hinduphobic content.
Why is it becoming a trend amongst films and web series makers to demean Hindu gods? Latest culprit seems to be the series #Tandav. #SaifAliKhan again part of a film or series which attempts to target Hindu deities. Director Ali Abbas Zafar needs to remove that scene which mocks pic.twitter.com/AausBUh2ky
— Ram Kadam – राम कदम (@ramkadam) January 17, 2021
In his complaint, Kadam wrote, “I would like to inform you that in web series Tandav, Hindu Gods have been insulted. This has hurt feelings of the Hindus. Ali Abbas, director of web Series, is glorifying leftist ideology. Zeeshan has insulted Lord Shiva. Request you to file charges on OTT platform, director, producer, writer and actors and stop the streaming of series. Also, specific communities have been insulted in the series. So please take necessary action (Translated from Marathi).”
Police issued summons to the makers
After receiving a complaint from Kadam, the police has issued summons to the makers of Tandav. A case has been filed under Section 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), Section 67A of IT ACT (sexually explicit act or conduct) and Atrocities act.
Kapil Mishra complaints to I&B minister
BJP leader Kapil Mishra has also shared his views on the controversy. He has appealed to Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar to ban the TV series. Mishra has released a video in which he alleged that the web series is a conspiracy to stir violence in the country. He further alleged that Dalits were insulted in the series.
आदरणीय @PrakashJavdekar जी
— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) January 16, 2021
Tandav वेब सीरीज दलितों का अपमान करने वाली, हिन्दू मुस्लिम हिंसा भड़काने की कोशिश, धार्मिक प्रतीकों के अपमान करने की कोशिश है#BanTandavNow
Friends pleased send email to [email protected] demanding ban on Tandav pic.twitter.com/2EvPw4MvPM
Earlier, the Bombay High Court lawyer Ashutosh Dubey sent legal notices to Ali Abbas Zafar and Amazon Prime Video for the Hinduphobic content.
I have served the legal notice to @aliabbaszafar & @PrimeVideoIN for Amazon Prime Video & Tandav Web Series hurts the Hindu sentiments by casting a Controversial scene in the web series through mocking character of the Hindu god Shiv Ji & Narad Muni Ji! pic.twitter.com/upzC9NkxcZ
— ADV. ASHUTOSH J. DUBEY🇮🇳 (@AdvAshutoshDube) January 15, 2021
Controversy over the web series
Ali Abbas Zafar’s web series Tandav has some names that have a history of propagating against Hindus and often stand with anti-India forces. One such name is Zeeshan Ayyub, who portrays Lord Shiva in a very derogatory manner in the first few minutes of the series. The complete series is full of Hinduphobic content that can only be deemed as a propaganda-driven series. The big star cast includes Saif Ali Khan as well, who was recently criticized when he claimed that the upcoming movie on Epic Ramayana would justify Devi Sita’s kidnapping.
The controversy erupted from the first fifteen minutes of the series itself, in which Ayyub has portrayed Lord Shiva in a very derogatory way. The problematic content does not stop here. It continues to show the infamous ‘Azadi’ slogans on the pretext of JNU. In another scene when Sandhya Mridul asks her husband to sign the divorce papers, a jilted Dino says, “When a lower caste mandates a woman belonging to a higher caste, he is exacting revenge for centuries of oppression through just that one woman.”
