PremiumNew Delhi: On-demand streaming service Amazon Prime Video, on Tuesday, issued a formal apology on the controversy that erupted around its crime drama Tandav over a month ago.
“Amazon Prime Video again deeply regrets that viewers considered certain scenes to be objectionable in the recently launched fictional series Tandav. This was never our intention, and the scenes that were objected to, were removed or edited when they were brought to our attention. We respect our viewers’ diverse beliefs and apologize unconditionally to anyone who felt hurt by these scenes," the company said in a statement.
“Our teams follow company content evaluation processes, which we acknowledge need to be constantly updated to better serve our audiences. We will continue to develop entertaining content with partners, while complying with the laws of India and respecting the diversity of culture and beliefs of our audiences," it added.
Tandav is a thriller set in the national capital that depicts a fictional ruling party engulfed in crime and internal politics. It features Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Sunil Grover, Mohd Zeeshan Ayub and others in lead roles.
Soon after the show’s launch in January, an FIR had been lodged in Lucknow against Amazon's India head of original content, Aparna Purohit, director Ali Abbas Zafar, producer Himanshu Krishna Mehra and writer Gaurav Solanki, for allegedly depicting Hindu gods in a manner hurtful to religious sentiments of people. The case came on the heels of BJP MP Manoj Kotak writing to I&B minister Prakash Javadekar seeking a ban on the series for ridiculing Hindu deities. I&B had summoned Amazon officials, seeking an explanation and the two parties had met virtually.
The Tandav team had agreed to make changes to portions that were found objectionable on the show after the MIB intervention, becoming the first web original to officially make changes since OTT content was brought under the ambit of the I&B ministry last November.
Last week, a single-judge bench of the Allahabad High Court rejected an anticipatory bail application filed by Purohit, over the UP Police FIR in Noida which accused her of hurting religious sentiments by pushing anti-Hindu content and scenes mocking Hindu gods in the web series.
Also, last week, the government issued guidelines for content regulation for the video streaming platforms where the complaints can be escalated to a inter-department government committee.
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