Published 11:16 IST, January 16th 2021
'Boycott Tandav' trends; netizens attack IMDb rating as scene in series 'hurts sentiments'
'Boycott Tandav' trended and netizens attacked its IMDb rating as a scene featuring Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub allegedly 'hurts sentiments' of Hindus.
2020 was the year that witnessed numerous films and web series hitting the web due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of them landed in controversies for their alleged objectionable content. Right from web series like Paatal Lok and A Suitable Boy to movies like Sadak 2, many of them had to face legal battles. 2021 has not started any different, with one of the first major series of the year, Tandav hurting the sentiments of a section of netizens.
'Boycott Tandav' trends on Twitter
Twitter was filled with comments under the hashtag ‘Boycott Tandav’ over a scene allegedly showcasing Hindu Gods in poor light. The objection seemed to over a scene where one of the protagonists played by Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub was apparently playing a character modelled on Lord Shiva, holding a stick with what looked like the Trishul at a college theatre festival.
The host talks about the character's social media following, and how he should tweet or post pictures to increase his followers. This is followed by the much controversial ‘Azaadi’ chants by the audiences. The visual was from the first episode of the series.
Netizens expressed their displeasure over the makers ‘using gods and dharma’ for 'Entertainment.' Many of them conveyed their thoughts by giving the series one star on IMDb, and proudly posted screenshots.
While some called for strict action, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gaurav Goel urged people who had been offended to approach the cops.
Tandav stars Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Sunil Grover & others
Tandav hit Amazon Prime on Friday. The web series, that deals with the game of politics and power, also stars Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Kritika Kamra, Dino Morea, Sarah Jane Dias, Sunil Grover, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Shonali Nagrani, among others.
The show has been directed by Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai fame Ali fame Abbas Zafar, who is also one of the producers, and makes his debut in the digital space. The director had termed the series with the caption, ‘In the battle of bloodline v/s those in line, let’s see who wins the crown and who takes a backseat.'
The series features nine episodes and all have been released simultaneously.
Updated 11:34 IST, January 17th 2021