Tandav row: Amazon Prime Video issues apology, removes objectionable scenes

Following the huge furore over certain scenes in its political thriller series, ‘Tandav’, Amazon Prime Video, which is streaming the series, has issued an unconditional apology and said that the scenes that were objected to have been removed or edited out.

As reported earlier, ‘Tandav’ has been facing severe flak for ridiculing Hindu Gods and goddesses.

In an official statement issued, the OTT streaming platform said, “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 apologise unconditionally to anyone who felt hurt by these scenes. 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.”

Following the strong opposition to the series, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had issued a notice to Amazon Prime Video, seeking an explanation from the OTT platform. Moreover, several FIRs were also filed against the show’s makers as well as Aparna Purohit, Head of India Originals, Amazon Prime Video, in Lucknow, Noida, and Shahjahanpur, besides 2 FIRs in Madhya Pradesh and 1 FIR each in Bihar and Karnataka.

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Amazon Prime Video gets MIB notice over its web series ‘Tandav’

The makers of ‘Tandav’ as well as Purohit had moved the Supreme Court in January this year, seeking protection from arrest after the FIRs were filed. However, at that time, the apex court had denied granting interim protection. They then moved the Allahabad High Court, which too denied granting interim protection. As per media reports, while rejecting Purohit’s anticipatory bail plea, the Allahabad High Court stated that Purohit had “scant respect for the law of the land” and also raised concerns over how this disturbing trend of mocking Hindu deities had passed from films to other shows.

Now, Purohit has moved the Supreme Court against the Allahabad High Court order that had rejected her anticipatory bail plea.