Paatal Lok: BJP MLA Files Complaint Against Anushka Sharma For Misusing Photo

Right since its launch, Anushka Sharma's Paatal Lok has been caught in controversies. The latest is a complaint filed by Nandkishor Gurjar, a BJP MLA from Loni in Uttar Pradesh. Gurjar has filed a complaint against the show's producer Anushka Sharma for using his picture without his permission. The image in question is a morphed photo used in episode 6 of the web series on Amazon Prime. The photo has been morphed to include the face of a corrupt character in the show named Balkishan Bajpayee but has retained Gurjar's photo from the original. Gurjar demanded that action should be taken under the Rasuka or National Security Act, for misrepresenting his image, and also promoting disharmony.

The original photo reportedly dates back to March 2018, during the inauguration of a 10.3 km-long elevated road from UP Gate to Raj Nagar Extension in Ghaziabad, Hindustan Times reported. The scene which displays the picture was to highlight a scam by the Uttar Pradesh government in a highways project in the web series. Gurjar has also alleged that the show is 'anti-national' and reportedly shows Sanatan Dharma's castes in a negative light.

लोनी कोतवाली में #पाताललोक
वेबसीरीज में सनातन धर्म के सभी जातियों, सनातन धर्म, भारतीय जांच एजेंसियों सहित बिना इजाजत मेरी एवं भाजपा नेताओं की तस्वीर का गलत चित्रण करने पर तहरीर देकर प्रोड्यूसर के खिलाफ राष्ट्रद्रोह के तहत #रासुका के तहत कार्रवाई करने को कहा।
1/10
👉BanPaatalLok pic.twitter.com/GwhjAS7VtT

— Nand Kishor Gurjar (@nkgurjar4bjp) May 23, 2020

Morphed Photo Retained The Image Of Gurjar

Gurjar tweeted that the Gurjar community, to which he belongs, has a glorious past, but has been portrayed in a bad light in the web series. He also accused the web series of promoting disharmony and showing the CBI in a bad light.

Also Read: Money Heist's Alba Flores Speaks Telugu! Who Is This Spanish Actress?

Other Legal Troubles Faced By The Show

Earlier the show attracted criticism for the use of a casteist slur and the alleged portrayal of Hindus in a bad light. A few days ago, All Arunachal Pradesh Gorkha Youth Association’s (AAPGYA) Namsai unit president and NHRC activist Bikash Bhattarai reportedly filed a complaint against Anushka Sharma for a casteist slur in the crime fiction series, that reportedly portrays Gorkha Women in a poor light and is an insult to the Nepali speaking community.

The casteist slur, which has been reportedly used in the second episode of the show, is deemed to be derogatory and is an insult to the Nepali community, according to Bharatiya Gorkha Yuva Parisangh. The scene that slips in at 3:41 in the second episode witnesses a policewoman hurling at a character named Mary Lyngdoh.

The crime fiction Paatal Lok has been produced by Anushka Sharma’s Clean Slate Films.

Picture Credit- Swarajya Mag

Also Read: Paatal Lok: Finally a Web Series which addresses Toxic Masculinity