Chennai: Though ZEE5 has announced that it is suspending the release of web seriesĀ GodmanĀ following protests over the alleged portrayal of Hindus especially Brahmins in insensitive manner, the issue has not died down.
Several complaints were lodged against the producer of the web series Elango Raghupathy and director Babu Yogeswaran for showing Brahmins in bad light in the teaser released last week.
Social media saw a flood of posts condemning the contents in the trailer as āanti-Hinduā. It begins with a dialogue that says “all Brahmins surrounding me are scoundrels”.
The Chennai city police have even issued summons to the director and the producer to appear for interrogation before Saturday.
Remember former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy tweeted that he spoke to Zee Group chairman Subhash Chandra over the issue. The latter reportedly assured Subramanian Swamy that the web series will not be telecast.
A couple of days ago, Swamy tweeted that a case of fraud can be filed against the producer, since Feathers Entertainment, which has bankrolled the series, does not exist on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) records.
He said Raghupathy and his wife Leeny had a company Colorz Pvt Ltd in 2007 but MCA struck off its registration the next year.
Several Hindu organisations and BJP leaders voiced against Godman. Following police complaints, FIRs were filed.
Both the producer and director of Godman were alleged by many of trying to spread communal hatred and even questioned as to why should they target one particular community? It denigrates Hindu seers, they say.
Speaking to News Today, Kannan, an activist, said, “There are reports that the producer had worked as a media production coordinator at an evangelical organisation a few years ago. We doubt he might have had vested interests in producing the serial. On a few occasions, he posted against Hindu festivals in his social media account. Similarly, the background of the director and a few artistes who were part of the series needs to be probed”.
“It is sad that Hindus especially Brahmins are soft targets in cinema, television serials and web series these days. They are ridiculed and even made fun of in many cases. In many films they are shown crude and cunning.”
There are discriminatory posts against them in social media in large numbers too and no action is taken, he adds.
Recalling the troubles movies like Davinci Code, Thuppakki and Vishwaroopam faced, he said creators need to have more responsibility.
It is a collective effort by a few to tarnish the Hindu faith by coming out with such works. And it is a huge blunder to defend it as creative freedom, says Gopi, convenor of a Hindu organisation.
Had there been a censor for web series such troubles would not have arisen. The trailer not only creates hatred among people but also promotes voyeurism. Imagine the consequences if youngsters watched this trailer for it has loads of vulgar scenes, he says.
Bashing Hindu faith is secularism today. If calling someone by religion is wrong why do they often take on Brahmins in all visual contents, he questions.
The police should hold a thorough enquiry. They should find the motives behind the act, he adds.
Taking a dig at voices against them, theĀ Godman team has said that it is a challenge to creative freedom.