The cast and creators of the recently released web series "Tandav" have landed hot water after allegedly "offending the religious sentiments of Hindus" by "showing their deity in a poor light" and pushing "casteism."
Indian Hindus have complained about a particular scene during which actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub – appearing as Lord Shiva – cusses. The swear word is bleeped out in the show.
The clip has gone viral, with angry netizens posting the #BoycottTandav hashtag and demanding the series be banned. The web series has been slammed as “hinduphobic" but this is not the first time a drama has been criticised for being "casteist” towards the Dalit community.
#BoycottTandav
— Manish vaibhav (@Vaibhavmanish21) January 15, 2021
This is the mockery of our religious belief. These film makers has been doing this kind of shit intensionally.
Why they are trageting hindu gods ?
Why they didn't use "prophet Mohd" instead of lord Shiva 🙏 . So boycott this. pic.twitter.com/CIQkjBXm5M
Due to the backlash, the police has sent officers to guard the house of lead actor Saif Ali Khan in Mumbai city as a precaution.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician Gaurav Goel filed a police complaint on Sunday and sought the arrest of the series’ makers. In his complaint, he said the show has “highly objectionable, offensive content,” adding that actors can be seen “insulting Hindu deities openly.”