FIR filed against 'Tandav' makers and cast in Mumbai

    Mumbai, Jan 20 (PTI) Mumbai Police on Wednesday
registered an FIR against the makers and cast of Amazon
Prime's controversial web series "Tandav", based on a
complaint lodged by a BJP MLA in the city, an official said.
    The case was registered by the Ghatkopar police
against the actors of the web series, including Saif Ali Khan
and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, its director Ali Abbas Zafar, producer
Himanshu Mehra, writer Gaurav Solanki, head of Amazon's India
head of original content Aparna Purohit, Amazon India's head
Amit Agarwal, the official said.
    "Tandav", which also features actors Dimple Kapadia,
Sunil Grover, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Dino Morea, Kumud Mishra,
Gauhar Khan and Kritika Kamra, premiered on the streaming
platform last Friday.
    "BJP's Ghatkopar MLA Ram Kadam had earlier submitted a
written complaint against the web series alleging that it hurt
the religious sentiments of Hindus. He also took out a morcha
at Amazon's web head office in BKC," the police official said.
    The case was registered under various IPC sections,
including 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on
ground of religion), 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts,
intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by
insulting its religion or religious beliefs), he said.
    Senior police officials in Mumbai confirmed that the
case was registered on the basis of complaint filed by Kadam.
    Taking cognisance of the complaints regarding the web
series, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Sunday
sought an explanation from the Amazon Prime Video on the
issue.
     The government recently brought OTT platforms, such
as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar, besides
other online news and current affairs content, under the ambit
of the I&B ministry, giving it powers to regulate policies and
rules for the digital space.
    In their second apology statement in as many days, the
cast and crew of "Tandav" on Tuesday said they had decided to
implement changes to "address concerns". PTI ZA
NP NP

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)