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Temple kissing scenes in A Suitable Boy stir trouble for Netflix India

Temple kissing scenes in A Suitable Boy stir trouble for Netflix India

Leader of BJP's youth wing warns of street protests by Hindus if the series is not taken off the platform.
23 Nov, 2020

An Indian state has asked police to investigate after a member of the country’s ruling party objected to scenes in the Netflix series A Suitable Boy, in which a Hindu girl kisses a Muslim boy against the backdrop of a Hindu temple.

The series is based on an English novel by one of India’s leading writers Vikram Seth and follows a young girl’s quest for a husband. It is directed by celebrated Indian filmmaker Mira Nair.

“It has extremely objectionable scenes that have hurt the feelings of a particular religion,” Narottam Mishra, the interior minister of the central state of Madhya Pradesh, said on Twitter on Sunday.

“I’ve directed police officers to get this controversial content tested” to determine “what legal action can be taken against the producer-director of the film for hurting religious sentiments”.

Gaurav Tiwari, a leader of the youth wing of India’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which also governs Madhya Pradesh, has filed a separate complaint against Netflix and warned of street protests by Hindus if the series is not taken off the platform.

A Netflix India spokesman declined comment on the police complaint. Reuters could not contact Nair.

Social media commentators say the scope for creative freedom is narrowing in India, especially when it involves any depiction of Hindu-Muslim relations.

Many Indians took to Twitter demanding a boycott of Netflix, which sees India as one of its most promising growth markets, but where its shows have faced legal challenges.

Last month, a unit of India’s Tata conglomerate withdrew a jewellery advertisement featuring a Hindu-Muslim family celebrating a baby shower, following threats to one of its stores and wide criticism on social media.

Earlier this month, the Indian government announced rules to regulate content on video streaming platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Walt Disney’s Hotstar.

Comments

hamid shafiq Nov 23, 2020 12:05pm
where is Indian secularism?
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MG Nov 23, 2020 12:08pm
No one has a right to hurt the religious sentiment
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Zak Nov 23, 2020 12:15pm
'in the Netflix series A Suitable Boy, in which a Hindu girl kisses a Muslim boy against the backdrop of a Hindu temple.' That is why pakistan loves Ertugrul.
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A. ALI Nov 23, 2020 12:17pm
Then change the history ...as Hindu lady married Akbar the emperor... Hindus again out to use their religion in a fanatic way... possibly another Muslim genocide in offing.
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GHAZANFAR ABBAS Nov 23, 2020 12:32pm
It is Hight of narrow mindedness
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netflix Nov 23, 2020 01:07pm
if netflix want to do business in india then they should abide by the laws if not there is no place for netflix in india.
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gandalf Nov 23, 2020 01:13pm
@MG but according to you indians, french have the right to draw and display dirty cartoons with intention to hurt muslims' sentiments.
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rama Nov 23, 2020 01:31pm
@hamid shafiq Where comes secularity ? Kissing in public place is seen as obscenity in India , that is culture of Indian society
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CU Nov 23, 2020 01:43pm
The saffron 'taliban'. Modi has gifted Indians a problem which will take years to rectify.
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bhaRAT© Nov 23, 2020 01:48pm
@hamid shafiq "where is Indian secularism?" Non-existent in their biggest 'democracy' under Modi regime!
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Jadogar Nov 23, 2020 02:08pm
Intolerant INDIA! Practice what you preach
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Asif A. Shah Nov 23, 2020 02:52pm
Freedom of expression appears to be doomed in India.
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Zak Nov 23, 2020 03:01pm
@MG 'No one has a right to hurt the religious sentiment No one has right to destroy historical. Mosques.
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vivek Nov 23, 2020 03:09pm
@Zak And that is why world loves Pakistan
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Mo Nov 23, 2020 03:11pm
Just to add to my previous I cannot see anywhere in the Hindu religion saying a Hindu and a Muslim cannot kiss.
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vivek Nov 23, 2020 03:12pm
@jg - Correct we are learning from France
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Ali Mehdi Nov 23, 2020 03:36pm
That’s sacrilegious. The sanctity of religious sentiments shouldn’t be breached. That’s what we as Muslims protest for but the world tries to cover their acts of inciting provocations as freedom of speech. You cannot drive a person to the wall n expect them not to react. I hope Hindus too would try to feel the pain suffered by Muslims.
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Bharat Dave Nov 23, 2020 03:48pm
Deplorable and unnecessary
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MG Nov 23, 2020 04:27pm
@gandalf Absolutely not, but none should take the law into their hands to give instant justcie
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RationalBabu Nov 23, 2020 04:28pm
An excellent series which should be watched by all on both sides of the border.
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Shah Nov 23, 2020 05:57pm
Secular India is dead and this proves it once again. A fiction story where a Hindu girl kisses a Muslim boy infant of a temple is enough for people to go mad in India.
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Shah Nov 23, 2020 05:58pm
@rama This has nothing to do with public kissing and you know it. This is deep rooted hate where even a fiction story is enough for people to go mad.
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Zak Nov 23, 2020 06:53pm
Learn from the Turks, make movies of tolerance and humanity not oppression and Casteism. 'According to Turkish publication Daily Sabah, Yunus Emre was a great Turkish thinker and poet "who has been a leading light for humanity for centuries with his suggestions to adopt the values of patience, satisfaction, tolerance, generosity, goodness and virtue in line with the teachings of Islam".
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Rafiq Nov 23, 2020 09:42pm
@hamid shafiq in India
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Rafiq Nov 23, 2020 09:42pm
In India where else
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Rafiq Nov 23, 2020 09:53pm
@Jadogar of course, there are more mixed relationships in India than anywhere else in the world.
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Rafiq Nov 23, 2020 09:56pm
@bhaRAT© Do you know the meaning of secularism?
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Asfand Nov 23, 2020 11:17pm
What would have been the reaction if it was the other way round
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Syed Hafeez Imran Nov 24, 2020 12:13am
@hamid shafiq never was there
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RationalBabu Nov 24, 2020 03:42am
@Zak oh, the irony of your use of that quote by the Turkish poet and thinker!
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Observer Nov 24, 2020 06:03am
@Jadogar India is a very tolerant country. 12% of world's Muslim population lives in India. They have no intention to go to Pakistan or anywhere else. This is their country. Don't do any politics with them.
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Ramesh Nov 24, 2020 07:33am
@A. ALI The lady who married Akbar was a political deal and not by choice or love. In those days, such weddings took place to avoid overrun by the invading forces!
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Ramesh Nov 24, 2020 07:35am
@vivek Surely you jest!
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Irfan ul Huq Nov 24, 2020 08:20am
@CU Modi is the Indian Zia ul Haq. Welcome to the new reality
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Akshay Nov 24, 2020 09:51am
@hamid shafiq Are you secular? If not then why do you want to enjoy the fruits of secularism?
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Vikram Malhotra Nov 24, 2020 08:53pm
Secularism doesn't mean showing anything. There should be a limit. If any one has crossed limit then they have opted for legal way to protest not doing beheading.
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MA Nov 25, 2020 07:28am
This is ABSOLUTELY WRONG - specially in the place of worship.
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SD Nov 25, 2020 12:47pm
@Ali Mehdi well said. Religious feelings should always be respected.
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