Netflix has been asked to stop streaming its ensemble drama “Bombay Begums” by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), citing inappropriate portrayal of children in the web series.
Issuing notice, NCPCR has asked the OTT platform to furnish a detailed action report within 24 hours, failing which it said, it would be constrained to initiate appropriate legal action.
Objecting to the alleged inappropriate portrayal of children in the series, the commission said this type of content would not only pollute the young minds but might also result in abuse and exploitation of children.
“Netflix should take extra precaution while streaming any content in respect of the children or for the children and shall also refrain themselves from getting into such things,” the commission said in its notice.
“Therefore, you are directed to look into this matter and immediately stop streaming of this series and furnish a detailed action report within 24 hours, failing which the Commission will be constrained to initiate appropriate action pursuant to the provisions of Section 14 of the CPCR (Commission for Protection of Child Rights) Act, 2005,” the commission said.
The Commission has taken note of a complaint by the Twitter handle @GemsOfBollywood, which tweeted a screengrab from the series and said, “From normalisation of minors indulging in casual sex we now have web series showing minors having cocaine. Screen grab from BombayBegums where a 13-yr-old is snorting coke as the party she goes to is all about alcohol, drugs (sic).”
Several other users also registered their complaints and expressed their displeasure over the show.
Also in the show one could see a Tilakdhari politician reading Bhagwad Geeta to surprise that the paramount dharma of a woman is to satisfy a man’s lust.
Bombay Begum is a story of five women across generations in contemporary India who struggle with personal flaws, ambition, sexism and societal pressure, is classified as 18+ and has a clear disclaimer card at the start to inform the viewer of various themes contained in the series. Scenes objected to in this case show a young teenager, suffering from low self-esteem and body image issues, drinking and taking drugs at a party.
The central government has tightened its grip on the OTT content after the big fiasco over shows like Tandav and Mirzapur 2 hurting the religious sentiments of a section of people. In the latest development, the government introduced a three-tier mechanism labelled as a ‘soft-touch regulatory architecture’. It’s a three-level check structure in which the government first expects the creators to oversee their content, followed by the platform to self-regulate in case of any discrepancy after which the government would keep a check.
