FIR against makers of Amazon Prime web series 'Tandav'

An FIR was lodged against the makers of the Saif Ali Khan-starrer web series Tandav, accusing them of hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindus and denigrating the Hindu Gods.

According to the sources, a police team has left for Mumbai to question the producer, director, writer and others associated with the making of the web series. The police might make arrests also, sources added.

The FIR under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion), 295 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) among others and the IT Act 2008 was lodged at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow late on Sunday night by a sub-inspector of the Uttar Pradesh police.

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Those against whom the FIR was lodged included the Original Content Head, India Amazon Prime Video Aparna Purohit, Director of the series Ali Abbas Zafar, Producer Himasnhu Krishna Mehra, Writer Gaurav Solanki and others.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's media advisor Shalabh Mani Tripathi later took to Twitter to say that playing with public sentiments would not be 'tolerated'. ''Case has been registered under stringent sections against the entire team of web series Tandav, which spreads hatred and they will be arrested,'' Tripathi said.

The FIR says that Hindu Gods and Goddesses have been denigrated at the 17th minute of the first episode of the web series. Similarly, at the 22th minute of the episode, there are remarks denigrating castes,'' it says. The FIR also says that the objective of the web series appeared to be to incite religious sentiments of a particular community and foment communal tension.

''A case has been registered. We are investigating the matter. We will take appropriate action,'' said a senior police official here on Monday.

The union information and broadcasting had earlier sought a response from Amazon Prime after a BJP lawmaker from Maharashtra wrote to the ministry against the web series.