Monitoring Desk
MUMBAI: OTT platform Netflix was served legal notice over an inappropriate dialogue about Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit in ‘The Big Bang Theory‘ show.
The scene from the first episode of the second season where leading character Raj Koothrapalli (Kunal Nayyar) uses inappropriate language to compare Madhuri Dixit’s looks to that of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan with Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) has come under fire.
Political analyst Mithun Vijay Kumar served a legal notice to Netflix in which he demanded the show to be removed. He claimed that the sitcom promotes sexism and misogyny.
“It is important to hold companies like Netflix accountable for their actions and to ensure that they are sensitive to the cultural values and sentiments of the communities they serve,” he stated. “I strongly believe that streaming service providers have a responsibility to carefully curate the content that they offer on their platforms. It is their duty to ensure that the material they present does not include derogatory, offensive, or defamatory content.
“I was deeply troubled by the use of a derogatory term in one of the shows on Netflix – Big Bang Theory. This term was used in reference to the acclaimed actress Madhuri Dixit, and it was not only offensive and deeply hurtful but also showed a lack of regard for her dignity.”
He said streaming service providers should be active to stop such shows from being streamed.
“This can be achieved through clear guidelines and rigorous screening processes for all the content published. Ultimately, streaming services have a significant influence over the content that is consumed by millions of individuals, and with this influence comes a responsibility to ensure that the content they offer is respectful, inclusive, and free from harmful stereotypes,” he said.
He added: “I hope that this incident will serve as a wake-up call to all streaming services providers to work towards creating a more equitable and respectful media landscape.”
