Amazon Prime Video's recently released web-series, Tandav has created a massive controversy on Twitter. Many netizens had called out the web-series for it's alleged 'anti-Hindu' and 'anti-Dalit' content. The outrage had reached a point where various petitions had been filed to Prakash Javadekar, the Central Minister of Information and Broadcasting, requesting him to remove the content from Amazon Prime Videos. After hours of outrage on social media, the director of the web-series, Ali Abbas Zafar issued an apology on social media.
Official Statement From The Cast and Crew of Tandav
We have been closely monitoring viewer reactions to the web series 'Tandav' and today during a discussion, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has 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 web series 'Tandav' is a work of fiction and any resemblance to acts and persons and events is purely coincidental. The cast and crew did not have any intention to offend the sentiments of any individual, caste, community, race, religion, or religious beliefs or insult or outrage any institution, political party or 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.
Our sincere apologies . pic.twitter.com/Efr9s0kYnl
— ali abbas zafar (@aliabbaszafar) January 18, 2021
Tandav, which was directed by Ali Abbas Zaffar and written by Gaurav Solanki had marked actor Saif Ali Khan's first web release in the year 2021. Kangana Ranaut took to Twitter to share her opinion as well along with other netizens.
ग़द्दारी और वफ़ादारी ख़ून में भी होती है, glad I come from a bloodline of warriors who fought for the integrity of akhand Bharat..... even if I wasn’t a Hindu I would have chosen to be a nationalist. हम वो नहीं जो अपनी ही थाली में छेद करें, जय हिंद । https://t.co/10YjsCa7KK
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) January 18, 2021
माफ़ी माँगने केलिये बचेगा कहाँ? ये तो सीधा गला काट देते हैं, जिहादी देश फ़तवा निकाल देते हैं लिब्रु मीडिया वर्चूअल लिंचिंग कर देती है, तुम्हें ना सिर्फ़ जान से मार दिया जाएगा बल्कि उस मौत को भी जस्टिफ़ाई किया जाएगा, बोलो @aliabbaszafar है हिम्मत अल्लाह का मज़ाक़ उड़ाने की ? https://t.co/NYASyuVS2i
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) January 18, 2021
People are too sensitive now when it comes to films. It’s a political drama. If it isn’t for you then you will not be forced to watch it.
— ♛ Zainy ♛ (@MuhammadZain156) January 18, 2021
In fiction, why insult Dalits? What kind of writer are you? And even in fiction, insulting Hindu Gods. Is this the only way to assure success?
— Smita Deshmukh (@smitadeshmukh) January 18, 2021
To hell with your apologies..If U want 2 make such "unintentional" mistakes again in d future,portray your own religion n it's God..don't mess with us Hindus n our sentiments
— Sunshine Girl (@DurgaMenon) January 18, 2021
The dir, entire cast of #Tandav are infamous anti Indians n this can't be coincidental #BanTandavNow
Unintentionally? Neechi Jaati / Unchi Jaati dialogues were unintentional? Shame on you the dialogues written by Solanki demeans not only SC/STs but upper caste too.. FIR should be filed under SC / ST act ... Cc @TCGEHLOT @HMOIndia
— SuperStar Raj ?? (@NagpurKaRajini) January 18, 2021
This dialogues written by @_gauravsolanki unintentional?
— SuperStar Raj ?? (@NagpurKaRajini) January 18, 2021
He @DinoMorea9 did not know what he dubbed? Or Solanki did not know what he was writing? All of you wanted to divide Hindus by using caste insulting SC/STs and Upper caste. Shame on you pic.twitter.com/cEdi3xDWgO
Tandav starring Saif Ali Khan, Sunil Grover, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Dino Morea, had contained controversial dialogues, where a character suggested that people from lower caste section of India share physical contact with upper-caste women as a form of revenge for all the torture they had to bear in the past centuries.
Indian Twitter : #BanTandavNow
— Kritika Kamra (@Kritika_Kamra) January 16, 2021
Indore police : pic.twitter.com/2JWedh4iCa
— Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub (@Mdzeeshanayyub) January 16, 2021
Earlier, Kritika Kamra, one of the actresses from the web-series, poked fun at the hashtag movement on Twitter, which had been retweeted by Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub with laughing emoticons. Zeeshan later retweeted the apology which was posted originally by director Ali Abbas Zaffar.