Supreme Court notice to makers of 'Mirzapur,' Amazon Prime Video

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to makers of the web series 'Mirzapur' and Amazon Prime Video on a petition by a resident of Mirzapur alleging that the show maligns the district and Uttar Pradesh.

A bench presided over by Chief Justice S A Bobde sought a reply on the PIL by Sujeet Kumar Singh.

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The petitioner claimed the web series depicted the district as a den of bad activities. His counsel said the plea has become infructuous with release of second season, but the court preferred to admit the plea for consideration.

The court's notice comes amid the protests and multiple FIRs lodged against another Amazon Prime web series 'Tandav' for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of the Hindu community, for alleged inappropriate depiction of UP Police personnel, deities, and adverse portrayal of a character playing prime minister in the show.

In his plea, the petitioner claimed, “Mirzapur has rich cultural value, but in 2018, Excel Entertainment launched a web series named Mirzapur of 9 episodes in which they have shown Mirzapur a city of goons and adulteresses.”

“Mirazapur is a place where the holy river Ganga meets the Vindhya range….the world famous temple Vindhyachal Temple, which is also one of the 108 Shakti Peeths in India, is situated in the Mirzapur district," the petitioner pointed out.

He also objected to the portrayal of a woman hailing from the district having sexual affairs with a domestic help and her father-in-law.

“By showing such ridiculous and shameless things in the name of a city/ district is the insult of a population of approximately 30 lakh people and the rich culture of Mirzapur," the plea claimed.

The petitioner said the government should have some guidelines to prohibit the ill portrayal of the historical and cultural values of a city.

The bench said it was issuing notices on the plea.

“Such movies and web series are clear violation of the dictum of the Supreme Court to block the publication or transmission of obscene material in any electronic form, transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act or conduct and also publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act or conduct and also publishing or transmitting material depicting children in sexually explicit act or conduct forthwith,” it said, claiming that the web series is full of “nudity, vulgarity and abusive language”.

It has sought a direction to the Centre to set up a pre-screening committee for web series, films or other programs which are directly released on online platforms.

It said that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting should be directed to make certification mandatory from government authority before releasing any web series, films or other programme on online platform.

The plea said that government should be directed to set up a rule and regulation for movies, web series and other programs which are released on online platform and all these must be censored before their release in theatres and box office.

(With inputs from agencies)