SC Rejects Protection From Arrest To Tandav Makers

SC rejects protection from arrest to Tandav makers: The Supreme Court refused to grant protection from arrest to the directors and actors of the Amazon Prime series Tandav.

"Your right to freedom of speech is not absolute. You cannot play the role of a character that hurts the sentiments of a community," the court said in their judgement. 

The director of the series Ali Abbas Zafar, the show's writer Gourav Solani and actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub along with Amazon Prime India head Aparna Purohit had filed a petition to the top court asking for protection from arrest as FIRs had been filed against the makers of the show for allegedly the religious sentiments of the community. The bench led by Justices Ashok Bhushan, MR Shah and RS Reddy.  

According to reports, three FIRs have been filed in Uttar Pradesh against the web series makers for allegedly wrongful depicting the Up Police, Hindu deities and adverse portrayal of the Prime Minister of India. 

Currently, the web series makers are facing criminal cases for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and disrespecting religion under the sections 153A and 295 of the Indian Penal Code(IPC). 

The pleas against the show also have various state governments and police officers as parties. 

After the FIRs were lodged, the makers of the show had agreed to change some scenes in the show. 

The show Tandav plays on a politically influenced plot where the characters take part in scenes such as students protests and the struggle for power in the Indian government. The show is headlined by Saif Ali Khan and other cast members of the show are Kritika Kamra, Sarah Jane Dias, Zeeshan Ayyub and others.

Know more about the cast here: