Showing posts with label Himanshu Kishan Mehra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Himanshu Kishan Mehra. Show all posts
Tandav case: People are entitled to make a satire, says senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi
8:30 AM
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi says those accused in Tandav case should get the kind of judicial protection that Arnab Goswami got
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; January 29, 2021)
The Tandav controversy continues over a week after Amazon Prime India and creator-showrunner Ali Abbas Zafar issued an apology and removed the contentious scenes from the political drama.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court refused to grant interim protection against arrest to Ali, Amazon India creative head Aparna Purohit, producer Himanshu Kishan Mehra, actor Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub and writer Gaurav Solanki. Talking to mid-day, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, legal counsel to Amazon India and Purohit, said, "I thought we should have got protection like Arnab Goswami did, but we had a positive [outcome] in the [possible] clubbing of the cases."
Since the Saif Ali Khan and Dimple Kapadia starrer dropped online on January 15, multiple FIRs were filed in six states, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar, and at least three cases in Uttar Pradesh. The furore began over a scene that saw Ayyub playing Lord Shiva in a college play, with many accusing the makers of “hurting religious sentiments”. Two scenes referencing caste soon came under the scanner. The three sequences have since been omitted.
Rohatgi pointed out that the Supreme Court is considering the petitioners’ request of combining the different FIRs across states. “[Earlier], we would have to go to six different high courts to tackle the different cases. But if all the FIRs are clubbed in Bombay or any one state, we can challenge all of them in the [corresponding] high court. The Supreme Court intends to club all the cases.”
With the makers having taken immediate action by removing the objectionable scenes, the advocate noted that the cases are now only a way of “seeking publicity”. “People are entitled to make a political satire. If you don’t want to watch it, don’t; nobody is forcing people to watch the series. According to me, these cases are not about hurting people’s religious sentiments, but of people seeking publicity These are not genuine cases. It has happened in the past too, over [M F] Hussain’s painting. The objectionable scenes have been removed, so, it lends to the fact that [the transpiring events] are only sensational.”
Freedom of speech not absolute, says Supreme Court; refuses ‘Tandav’ makers arrest protection
8:21 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (January 28, 2021)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant interim protection from arrest to makers of web series ‘Tandav’, who are seeking quashing of FIRs against them for hurting religious sentiments, while observing that “freedom of speech and expression is not absolute”.
A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah turned down the plea made by senior advocates Fali S Nariman, Mukul Rohatgi and Siddharth Luthra to stay the FIRs, but said the petitioners could approach other forums, including the trial court, for relief. The court said a person cannot claim “an absolute right to freedom of speech and expression” and it is subject to restrictions.
The petitioners - Director Ali Abbas Zafar, Amazon Prime India head Aparna Purohit, Producer Himanshu Kishan Mehra and Actor Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub - contended that FIRs had been filed in different states and they would be harassed by their police for the same alleged offence.
Nariman said FIRs were being filed even after the alleged objectionable part had been removed and apology tendered. He said nothing remained in the case and no coercive action should be taken against the makers and cast of the web series. Rohatgi also cited that the apex court had granted similar relief in cases involving M F Hussain and Arnab Goswami. He said the web series is a political satire and if people become so sensitive that they cannot take satire in good spirit, there would be no freedom of speech in the country.
The bench was not convinced with the submission and refused to grant the protection. However, it agreed to examine whether FIRs could be clubbed together and issued notice to UP, MP, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar and Delhi where FIRs had been lodged.
“In the facts of the present case, the prayers (a) and (b) in the writ petition for quashing the FIRs are not entertained and the writ petition is dismissed insofar as prayers (a) and (b) are concerned. We issue notice in the writ petition limited to transfer and clubbing of the FIRs with first FIR. Let notice be issued, returnable within four weeks. We make it clear that the issue of notice in this petition shall not preclude the petitioners to approach the concerned courts for anticipatory bail/bail as per law,” the bench said.
Uttar Pradesh police in Mumbai as complaints filed against Tandav and Mirzapur
8:11 AM
Tandav Statements Recorded; Mirzapur Probe On
Nitasha Natu (THE TIMES OF INDIA; January 23, 2021)
Mumbai: An Uttar Pradesh police team, here to investigate a complaint against the web series ‘Tandav’, recorded statements of the director, writer and producer on Friday. UP police had registered FIRs against the show’s makers and OTT platform Amazon Prime Video’s content head for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and portraying police poorly. Later, Ghatkopar police also lodged a case. Portions from at least two controversial scenes of the series have been snipped off.
“We visited the residence of the show’s director, Ali Abbas Zafar, on Thursday. As he was unavailable, we left behind a notice for him to appear before the investigating officer in Lucknow by January 27 and record his statement,” said Anil Kumar Singh, an Uttar Pradesh police officer. Singh said their contact numbers were mentioned in the notice.
“Zafar got in touch with us and expressed willingness to get his statement recorded in Mumbai itself. It was agreed that statements of Zafar, writer Gaurav Solanki and producer Himanshu Mehra would be recorded at their office in Andheri (W) on Friday,” said Singh. Accordingly, their statements were recorded.
Fourth accused, Aparna Purohit from Amazon Prime Video, was not here, police said. Bombay High Court has granted three weeks’ transit anticipatory bail to all four accused.
Another UP police team, here to probe a complaint against the web series ‘Mirzapur’, began investigations on Friday after waiting for two days for a nod from Mumbai crime branch. A complaint was registered against the show’s makers in UP for outraging religious sentiments. “We verified addresses of the accused and visited the OTT platform’s office in BKC, but they were not available on Friday. We may return to UP and send them notices by post,” said inspector V K Chaurasia.
UP police had, on their own, gone to the residence of one of the show’s producers on Thursday, but Mumbai Police stepped in and asked them to first obtain permission. A nod was given on Friday. There have been demands from several right-wing groups demanding censorship of online content. In October 2020, Supreme Court had issued a notice to Centre and Internet and Mobile Association of India, in a petition to regulate OTT platforms by an autonomous body.
‘Tandav’ makers apologize, say didn’t intend to offend anyone
8:29 AM
Swati Mathur (THE TIMES OF INDIA; January 18, 2021)
New Delhi: The information and broadcasting ministry has decided to seek an explanation from Amazon Prime over “objectionable” content in the recently launched web series Tandav.
The ministry, sources said, was seized of the matter and decided to take action on the back of complaints by BJP legislators who alleged the series’ content had “insulted Hindu gods and goddesses”. “The government is seized of the matter and has decided to seek an explanation from Amazon Prime representatives,” a ministry official said.
Online content, as yet unregulated, was brought under the purview of the I&B ministry last month and a mechanism to regulate OTT content is being worked on.
While this is not the first time OTT content has drawn the ire of the public and legislators for showing “offensive” content, this is one of the first instances where the government has taken cognisance of complaints against a series and decided to seek an explanation from the OTT platform hosting the programme.
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Director, Producer Tweet A Detailed Statement
Swati Mathur (THE TIMES OF INDIA; January 19, 2021)
New Delhi: Makers of the controversial web series ‘Tandav’ on Monday issued an unconditional apology for the “offensive” content of the programme and said the cast and crew had no intention to offend any religion or religious beliefs, nor outrage any institution or political party.
A detailed statement was issued by the series’ producer Himanshu Kishan Mehra and its director Ali Abbas Zafar on Twitter, hours after representatives of Amazon Prime Video held a virtual meeting with officials of the I&B ministry.
The web series ran into controversy soon after its release on Amazon Prime on Friday after BJP legislators filed complaints claiming that the series had “insulted Hindu gods and goddesses”.
The I&B ministry stepped in and sought an explanation from Amazon Prime Video representatives. Ministry officials said the virtual meeting was held on Monday afternoon, and the unconditional apology from the makers of the web series followed soon after.
The developments put the spotlight, once again, on lack of regulation of online content, especially that available on Over The Top (OTT) platforms like Amazon, Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar among others, which has seen several shows running into trouble with audiences and authorities.
Sources in the ministry said while the Centre was keen that the industry should selfregulate instead of the government having to act as a “censor”, there is a view that OTT platforms should be brought under a broad set of guidelines as well as an independent regulator, like the Press Council of India is for the print industry and the Indian Broadcasting Federation is for the TV industry.
Online content was brought within the purview of the I&B ministry in December and the government is currently working on a mechanism to regulate OTT content.
Times View: Several parties have raised objections to the web series on the grounds that it hurts community and caste sentiments. But this also raises the vital question: how does a film or a web series depict social reality or satirize anything while being politically correct? Every scene involving caste or religion need not be interpreted as an insult to a community.
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Case against Saif Ali Khan, two others in UP; Lucknow cops leave for Mumbai
Bareilly/Lucknow: Following controversies over web series ‘Tandav’, a case for defamation and hurting religious sentiments was registered against Bollywood writer-director Ali Abbas Zafar and actors Saif Ali Khan and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub on a complaint by BJP MLA Veer Vikram Singh at Katra police station in UP’s Shahjahanpur on Monday.
A four-member police team from Lucknow left for Mumbai on Monday to investigate into another FIR lodged at Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station against the producers of web series for “promoting enmity on grounds of religion”.
Meanwhile, wading into the controversy, BSP chief Mayawati also demanded that scenes to which objections have been raised, should be removed to maintain peace in the country.
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FIR on ‘Mirzapur’ for hurting sentiments
THE TIMES OF INDIA (January 19, 2021)
Varanasi: An FIR has been lodged against the producers of the web series Mirzapur and the OTT platform Amazon Prime Video at Mirzapur Kotwali (Dehat) police station for allegedly hurting religious and social sentiments of the people and distorting the image of Mirzapur.
Mirzapur SP Ajay Kumar Singh said, “On the complaint of one Arvind Chaturvedi, a case has been lodged against the producers of the web series Mirzapur and Amazon Prime Video under appropriate sections of IPC and IT Act.”
The learnings I got working with Salman Khan have gone into making a pan India show like Tandav-Ali Abbas Zafar
8:45 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; January 10, 2021)
Talking about the series, Ali says, “Tandav was conceptualised in 2014, before I started shooting Sultan. Initially, we wanted to make it into a film, but later, I told Himanshu that I won’t be able to do justice to it in a movie format. We then went back to the writer’s room, and Gaurav Solanki came on board to curate it with us. Now, it’s a season of nine episodes.”
Himanshu shares, “The best part is that this is Ali’s original voice, because he has stayed in Delhi University. He is the creator of the show, along with being a co-producer. When the show was scripted, we contemplated that Ali would direct only the first and last episodes. But, he said that he would helm the whole series, and shoot it in a start-to-finish schedule. So, we divided our responsibilities.”
About his time in Delhi and politics becoming a part of his life, Ali says, “If you have stayed or studied in Delhi, politics rubs shoulders with you, inadvertently. Our strongest inspiration has been Shakespeare, who wrote entertaining stories, which were beautifully embedded in a political backdrop. At the university, I saw things around me, which either influenced me, made me cringe or sensitive towards them. At the same time, I found my voice as a filmmaker. I try to show it with my work. There has to be something more than just entertainment. It’s not just the packaging, it has to do with the story you are trying to tell, which then spreads its wings into the heartland of India. Tandav, too, is a story of the heartland of India.”
Ali says that Saif was his first choice to play the male lead, Samar Pratap Singh. “When I wrote that character, I felt that no one could pull it off better than Saif, because he plays these borderline negative, intense, brooding roles very well. Of course, working with Salman (Khan) sir has taught me a lot... how to project a superstar and how to create pan-India films. All those learnings have gone into making a pan-India show like Tandav,” he signs off.
Teaser of Ishaan Khatter-Ananya Panday starrer Khaali Peeli to be launched today
8:15 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (August 24, 2020)
The makers of Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday’s Khaali Peeli, a masala entertainer, are all set to launch the teaser today. The film, directed by Maqbool Khan, brings Ishaan and Ananya together for the first time. The movie, which is touted to be young and edgy, also features Jaideep Ahlawat in a pivotal role.
Producer Ali Abbas Zafar says, “Khaali Peeli is a complete desi entertainer. Ishaan and Ananya’s chemistry and Jaideep’s credibility makes this ride cooler and edgier.” Producer Himanshu Kishan Mehra says, “We have made this film with a lot of heart and hard work, and I am super excited that audiences will get to experience our film soon. I hope the film entertains the audiences in such unprecedented times.”
Shariq Patel, CEO, Zee Studios, adds, “The film is a complete package with high-octane action, song-dance and emotions. It’s going to bring back the quintessential feel of Bambaiya language that has been used in the film after a long time. At a time like this, when audiences are hungry for fresh, new content, we can’t wait to bring this film.”
Khaali Peeli is produced by Zee Studios, Himanshu Kishan Mehra and Ali Abbas Zafar.
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