Madhya Pradesh police book two Netflix India officials for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through a web series

An FIR was registered against two officials of the streaming platform Netflix India in Madhya Pradesh for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through the web series ‘A Suitable Boy’. The series directed by Mira Nair shows kissing scenes on the premises of a temple.

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said that the FIR has named Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content (Netflix) and Ambika Khurana, Director, Public Policies (Netflix). The complaint was filed by Bhartaiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BYJM) national secretary Gaurav Tiwari who demanded apology from Netflix India and the makers of the series and removal of objectionable scenes which he stated were also "encouraging love jihad".

“Kissing scenes (filmed) inside a temple of Lord Maheshwar (a historic town located on the banks of Narmada in Madhya Pradesh) have hurt the sentiments of Hindus. This is also encouraging ‘love jihad’,” Tiwari had stated.

Home Minister Mishra in a video said, “ I had asked officials to examine the series ‘A Suitable Boy’ being streamed on Netflix to check if kissing scenes in it were filmed in a temple and if it hurt religious sentiments. The examination prima facie found that these scenes are hurting the sentiments of a particular religion.”

“On the basis of a complaint filed by Gaurav Tiwari, an FIR is being registered under section 295 (A) (malicious acts to outrage and insulting the religious feelings and beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in Rewa against Netflix officials- Monika Shergill and Ambika Khurana," he added.

The six part series is an adaptation of the book A Suitable Boy written by Vikram Seth. The series has been directed by renowned filmmaker Mira Nair who has made films like Salaam Bombay, Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake.

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