Zee5- an OTT platform took to social media to release the trailer and posters of their upcoming web series ‘Dhoop Ki Deewar’ which claims to have “an underlying message of peace, harmony and joy of life.”
https://twitter.com/Zindagi/status/1404688494740402180?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwDirected by Haseeb Haasan, the series chronicles the story of Vishal from India and Sara from Pakistan, who find their lives interconnected after losing their fathers in war furthering a plausible love story.
However, the plot has not gone down well with the Pakistani audience who have initiated a #BoycottDhoopKiDeewar trend on social media for portraying a love story between a Muslim girl and Hindu boy calling it Haram.
Here are some of the Tweets
A Twitter user by the name ‘Ambassador of Kashmir’ (location unknown) shamed Imran Khan’s government for allegedly promoting the series.
https://twitter.com/AmbassadorofKa1/status/1405299854528679939?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwAnother user Salman Javed took to Twitter to dissect the facts and possible intention behind making such a series.
https://twitter.com/M_EssJay/status/1405129541304012801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw“Fun fact in this all Pandora box. Zee Zindagi content cannot be watched without paying a subscription fee, but this film will be available free of cost for Pakistani audience. Why are they so keen to invest in Pakistani actors and audience? Any ideas?,” he said in a Tweet.
https://twitter.com/M_EssJay/status/1405129550854492170?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwParticipating in the boycott trend, another user revealed that the series has been shot in Pakistan with a Pakistani cast thus feeling ashamed.
https://twitter.com/danyalofficialk/status/1405204304206733314?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwMocking ‘Aman Ki Asha’ initiative a blue tick handle Tweeted, “Aman Ka Tamasha failed the first time and it will fail the second time too. but it will run long enough for many to make a quick buck off of it. You can not build peace on blood, occupation & ethnic cleansing.”
https://twitter.com/BhittaniKhannnn/status/1404978250082828291?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwAnother user Taha Jaunpuri who claims to be a proud ‘madrasa chap’ (location unknown) called this an attempt to promote “Bhagwa Love Trap.”
https://twitter.com/TahaJaunpuri_/status/1405144499903365122?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwAnother handle called the relationship showcased in the plot ‘haram’.
https://twitter.com/bhagwalovetrap/status/1405094906079625217?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwPlot of Dhoop Ki Deewar
The script of the series is written by Pakistani playwright Umera Ahmed, who says it is not just a love story but a love-hate relationship shared by India and Pakistan.
Written in the backdrop of the Kashmir and Pulwama attacks, the narrative is reportedly based on true incidents and talks about families and kids of martyred army officers on both sides of the border.
The cross-border web series is set to launch on June 25. It is notable here that Zindagi is a Zee-owned platform that features Pakistani, Ukrainian, Brazilian content, often short series. Zee 5 is Zee’s OTT platform that streams content from all of Zee’s entertainment channels.