Art & Entertainment Center & State

‘Tandav’ ka Tandav: All you need to know about Saif Ali Khan’s Amazon Series

By Renu Valke
‘Tandav’ ka Tandav: All you need to know about Saif Ali Khan’s Amazon Series
TANDAV (Source - TWITTER)
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Key Points:

  • The opening scene of the series begins with Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub in as Shiva, who is playing the role of Lord Shiva in a college play. The attire doesn’t match the traditional depiction of the Hindu God but looks stylish – wearing a suit.
  • An FIR was registered in Lucknow against the makers and other people associated with Tandav for ‘hurting religious sentiments.’
  • Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath shared an open warning to the makers and actors of Tandav. Chief minister’s media advisor Shalabh Mani Tripathi tweeted, “Be prepared to pay the price for hurting religious sentiments… UP Police has left for Mumbai in a vehicle.”
  • Due to the ongoing ‘comments and complaints’ violence, Saif Ali Khan has been given extra security.
  • The I&B ministry sought an explanation from Amazon Prime after the controversy broke out.
  • Ali Abbas Zafar, the director of the series tweeted, ” Our sincere apologies…”

Tandav, starring Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Sunil Grover, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Kritika Kamra has been in discussions since its release on January 15 on the OTT Platform of Amazon Prime. ‘TANDAV’ is a political drama that talks about power struggle that is unleashed after the death of a Prime Minister and is directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. Here is information about the issue.

The Controversial Scene

It is said that ‘The First Impression is the Last Impression’ and this is where Tandav, according to the ‘Complainers’, failed. The opening scene of the series begins with Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub in as Shiva, who is playing the role of Lord Shiva in a college play. The attire doesn’t match the traditional depiction of the Hindu God but looks stylish – wearing a suit, carrying a Treeshul in one hand, and coating blue paint on his face and neck depicting a cross. Shiva talks about getting fewer followers on social media as compared to Lord Ram and what should he do to increase followers. Narad Muni (another mythological figure) advises him to tweet ‘something sensational’ to get more followers on Twitter and talk about how the students of the university are chanting ‘azaadi azaadi’ these days. The scene explains how students are talking about getting freedom from poverty, feudalism, and caste-based discrimination in the country but they are being misunderstood. “Matlab desh se azaadi nahi chahye, desh me rehte hue azaadi chahye” says Shiva as the scene ends.

Complaints

  • An FIR was registered in Lucknow against the makers and other people associated with Tandav for ‘hurting religious sentiments.’
  • Bharatiya Janata Party MP Manoj Kotak wrote to Information and Broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar seeking a ban on the series for allegedly ridiculing Hindu deities. “Different organisations and individuals have complained that Hindu Gods and Goddesses have been ridiculed in Tandav web series. Comments have been passed about them,” Kotak said.

  • BJP MP – Ram Kadam filed a complaint against the makers and actors of Tandavat Ghatkopar police station in Mumbai.

  • “Tandava will be boycotted until necessary changes are made. #BanTandavNow,” Kadam tweeted. “Just as there is a system of censors for reviewing films and serials, a similar arrangement should be made to review series on the OTT platform. Writing to @PrakashJavdekar ji,” he also tweeted in Hindi.
  • BJP leader Kapil Mishra sends notice to Amazon Prime Video demanding Tandav to be removed from the platform.
  • Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath shared an open warning to the makers and actors of Tandav. Chief minister’s media advisor Shalabh Mani Tripathi tweeted, “Be prepared to pay the price for hurting religious sentiments… UP Police has left for Mumbai in a vehicle.”

  • Former UP chief minister, Mayawati, wrote in a tweet that in the interest of ‘peace and harmony’ the objectionable scene should be removed from the series.

After-Effects

  • FIR has been launched against Amazon India’s original content head Aparna Purohit, creator of the series Ali Abbas Zafar, producer Himanshu Mehra, writer Gaurav Solanki and others at the Hazratganj police station of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow deputy commissioner of police (Central) Somen Barma said.
  • Due to the ongoing ‘comments and complaints’ violence, Saif Ali Khan has been given extra security.
  • The I&B ministry sought an explanation from Amazon Prime after the controversy broke out.

The Apology

Ali Abbas Zafar, the director of the series tweeted, ” Our sincere apologies. We have been closely monitoring viewer reactions to the web series Tandav and today during a discussion, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting have informed us regarding a large number of grievances and petitions received on various facets of the web series with serious concerns and apprehensions regarding its content hurting the sentiments of the people.” The tweet further continued, “The cast and crew did not have any intention to offend the sentiments of any individual, caste, community, race, religion or religious belief or insult or outrage any institution, political party or a person, living or dead. The cast and crew of Tandav take cognizance of the concerns expressed by the people and unconditionally apologise if it has unintentionally hurt anybody’s sentiments.”

What is your take on the rampage behind the Tandav series? Is it logical or people should have seen it just as a fictious content?

Renu Valke

Renu Valke

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