BJP leader Kapil Mishra has sent a legal notice to Amazon Prime Video, demanding that their original web series Tandav be removed from their platform immediately, as per a report by ANI. Mishra has also said that if the OTT platform fails to meet his demands criminal proceedings will be initiated against them.
The notice comes after an FIR was registered against the makers of the show for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Among those named in the FIR are Amazon Prime's India head of original content Aparna Purohit, director of Tandav Ali Abbas Zafar, the show's producer Himanshu Krishna Mehra and writer Gaurav Solanki.
Amazon Prime Video officials have also been summoned by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry regarding the controversy.
Shalabh Mani Tripathi, media advisor to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, had taken to Twitter to express his objections regarding Tandav. "Messing with public sentiments will not be tolerated. Serious charges have been levelled against the Tandav team for trying to spread hatred. Arrest warrants will be out soon", Tripathi had tweeted.
The controversy around Tandav started after a few BJP leaders called for a ban on the web show for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. They appear to have taken offence at a scene in which Zeeshan Ayyub's character performs a play as Shiva.
The political drama, which stars Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub in lead roles, released on Amazon Prime Video on 15 January.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)