Religious and Political outcry against Television content is not new to the Indian entertainment space. The latest channel to land in the soup is Zee Tamil over a kids’ reality show, which according to Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), made obnoxious comments about Prime minister Narendra Modi. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a notice to Zee Entertainment Enterprises, seeking an explanation on the complaint filed by CTR Nirmal Kumar State President- IT and Social Media Cell, BJP, Tamil Nadu.
The notice from the I&B Ministry to the channel stated that the Ministry has received a complaint against the telecast of a TV programme Junior Super Star Season 4 by Zee Tamil TV channel. The ministry has asked the channel to respond to the complaint of objectionable content within seven days, failing which further action will be taken.
Earlier in a letter to the Channel, Nirmal Kumar alleged that the program which was aired on 15th January 2022 passed scathing remarks about Demonetisation, Diplomatic travel to various countries, PM’s attire and Disinvestment.
In the ‘controversial’ skit aired by the channel two children were seen dressed as the characters from the 2006 Indian Tamil language historical-comedy film Imsai Arasan 23rd Pulikesi and were seen making fun of the country’s ruler.
The letter from Nirmal Kumar further alleged, “For a kid below the age of 10, it would be impossible for him/her to even understand what these really mean. But in the name of comedy, these topics were compelled into the children. Throughout this Skit, the judges, anchors and the mentor were seen encouraging the same without any kind of inhibitions. This sends a wrong message about the channel in Tamil Nadu and what it stands for nationally.
The letter demanded immediate steps to take the program off the air and a public apology from the channel, producer, program judges and mentors was mandated. Further, the person responsible for the content has to be sacked.”
This is not the first time Television programs in India have encountered controversy. Back in 2014, Ekta Kapoor’s Jodha Akbar came on the heels of a major row when the Rajput Kshatriya Akhil Bharatiya Chatariya Sabha protested and claimed that the serial is projecting false information about Jodha marrying Akbar to save her father’s kingdom. The show was later pulled out. The Netflix series Tandav which starred Saif Ali Khan and Dimple Kapadia ran into a controversy where several leaders including BJP alleged that the series insulted religious sentiments.
Keeping the humour alive
Tamil Nadu has a long history of keeping humour and satire alive in its cultural and entertainment space. From Cho Ramaswamy’s 1971 movie Muhammad bin Tughluq to Amaidhi Padai (1994), Joker (2016), to 2019 movie LKG, and Imsai Arasan 23rd Pulikesi, the Tamil movie industry has produced political satire movies which was a huge hit in the box office and received rave responses from the audience. These films have mocked the political system of those times, and the unsolved issues like caste clashes, and more. The growth of digital platforms and the advent of technologies has led to the growth of several YouTube channels and meme pages that accommodate satirical content to criticise the government and the current political system.
The I&B Ministry sending a notice to the channel within hours of receiving the complaint from BJP exhibits intolerance of a government towards creativity in the entertainment space. Back in 2019, when the Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting advised all private television channels to refrain from broadcasting content that is “likely to instigate violence or which promotes anti-national attitudes”.
We are living in a period where anything and everything could be criticized or spoofed for entertainment, social responsibility, and creativity purposes. When the nation’s policies, developmental activities, and governmental initiatives are spoken about, rights are reserved with the media houses to highlight and be vigilant about the loopholes in the system which is a fundamental requirement in a democratic country. When praises and encouragement are vital for good governance, constructive criticism is also the need of the hour- not to forget the fact that no one is beyond criticism.
