Netflix Executives Booked Over A Kiss in Temple

An FIR was registered against two executives of OTT platform Netflix for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through its web series “A Suitable Boy” which showed kissing scenes purportedly on the campus of a temple in Madhya Pradesh.

The FIR named Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content (Netflix) and Ambika Khurana, Director, Public Policies (Netflix), Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said.

But, collector of Khargone district Anugraha P said that the controversial kissing scenes do not appear to have been filmed inside a temple in Maheshwar town in their district.

Earlier in the day, Shergill and Khurana were booked by Rewa police following a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) national secretary Gaurav Tiwari. He demanded apology from Netflix and the makers of the series, and removal of “objectionable scenes”, which he stated were also “encouraging love jihad”.

“I had asked officials to examine the series ‘A Suitable Boy’ being streamed on Netflix to check if kissing scenes in it were filmed inside Lord Maheshwar temple on the banks of River Narmada and if it hurt religious sentiments. The examination prima facie found that these scenes are hurting the sentiments of a particular religion,” Mishra said in a video statement.

“An FIR is being registered under section 295 (A) (malicious acts to outrage and insulting the religious feelings and beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in Rewa,” he added. Rewa SP Rakesh Kumar Singh told reporters that the FIR has been registered and further investigation is underway.

The six-episode Netflix series has been directed by renowned filmmaker Mira Nair, who is known for her critically acclaimed films such as “Salaam Bombay”, “Monsoon Wedding” and “The Namesake”.

“We have not received any formal complaint so far regarding the controversy surrounding the Netflix series. But taking cognisance of media reports, I sent a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and tahsildar to the spot at Maheshwar. They inspected the fort complex where the web series was shot. There are temples in the huge fort complex on the banks of the Narmada river at Maheshwar. According to the SDM report, at first glance, it seems the controversial kissing scenes were not filmed inside the temple. Probably, they were shot somewhere else in the fort complex,” the collector said.

She said a committee will be constituted to probe into the matter, if the government orders so. “A Suitable Boy” was shot in Maheshwar in December last year.