Bhopal/Indore: An FIR was registered Monday in Madhya Pradesh against two executives of OTT platform Netflix. The FIR was filed for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through Netflix’s web series A Suitable Boy. The web series showed kissing scenes purportedly on the campus of a temple, an official said.
The FIR has named Monika Shergill, vice-president, Content (Netflix) and Ambika Khurana, director, Public Policies (Netflix). This information was given by Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra.
Meanwhile, Collector of Khargone district P Anugraha told this agency that the controversial kissing scenes do not appear to have been filmed inside a temple in Maheshwar town. Earlier in the day, Shergill and Khurana were booked by Rewa police on a complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) national secretary Gaurav Tiwari. He demanded apology from ‘Netflix’ and the makers of the series. He also wanted removal of ‘objectionable scenes’, which he stated were also ‘encouraging love jihad’.
“I had asked officials to examine the series A Suitable Boy being streamed on Netflix. It was to check if kissing scenes in it were filmed inside a temple and if it hurt religious sentiments. The examination prima facie found that these scenes are hurting the sentiments of a particular religion,” Mishra said in a video statement.
“On the basis of a complaint filed by Gaurav Tiwari, an FIR is being registered under section 295 (A) (malicious acts to outrage and insulting the religious feelings and beliefs) of the IPC in Rewa against Netflix officials – Monika Shergill and Ambika Khurana,” he added.
Rewa SP Rakesh Kumar Singh told reporters that the FIR has been registered and further investigation is underway.
Gaurav Tiwari had submitted Saturday a memorandum to the Rewa SP demanding an apology from Netflixand removal of ‘objectionable scenes’ from A Suitable Boy.
“Kissing scenes (filmed) inside a temple of Lord Maheshwar (a historic town located on the banks of Narmada in Madhya Pradesh) have hurt the sentiments of Hindus. This is also encouraging ‘love jihad’,” Tiwari had stated.
The six-part Netflix series has been directed by renowned filmmaker Mira Nair. She is known for her critically-acclaimed films such as Salaam Bombay, Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake.
A Suitable Boy, Kissing, Madhya Pradesh, Temple, FIR, Love jihad, Mira Nair