The apex child rights body NCPCR has asked popular streaming platform Netflix to stop streaming the recently released web series Bombay Begums citing an ‘inappropriate’ portrayal of children in the web series. In a notice to Netflix on Thursday, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked the OTT (Over The Top) platform to furnish a detailed action report within 24 hours, failing which it said it will be constrained to initiate appropriate legal action.
The Commission has taken note of tweets by the handle @GemsOfBollywood, as well as those by documentary filmmaker and men's rights activist Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj. Deepika had tweeted a screengrab from the series and said, “From normalisation of minors indulging in casual sex we now have web series showing minors having cocaine. Screen grab from BombayBegums where a 13yr old is snorting coke as the party she goes to is all about alcohol, drugs (sic).”
13 year old girl drinks & consumes drugs because her heartthrob Imran Siddiqui is dancing with other girls
— Gems of Bollywood (@GemsOfBollywood) March 11, 2021
Anti-CAA crusader & Director @alankrita601 takes extra-efforts to highlight her age
Welcome to New Urdu-wood
Bombay Begums streaming @NetflixIndiapic.twitter.com/RddxJ9km9x
From normalisation of minors indulging in casual sex we now have web series showing minors having Cocaine.
— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) March 10, 2021
Screengrab from #BombayBegums where a 13yr old is snorting coke as the party she goes to is all about alcohol, drugs.
Sink it in. pic.twitter.com/RXOyq1GaJS
Thank you for reporting, I will share details of action taken https://t.co/hqcdzcIrlx
— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) March 11, 2021
Objecting to the alleged inappropriate portrayal of children in the series, the commission said this type of content will not only pollute the young minds but may also result in “abuse and exploitation of children.”
“The Commission does not allow representing portraying and glorifying children in India in such a manner on any media platform/internet/OTTs, etc. Netflix should take extra precaution while streaming any content in respect of the children or for the children and shall also refrain themes from getting into such things," the commission said in its notice.
"Therefore, you are directed to look into this matter and immediately stop streaming of this series and furnish a detailed action report within 24 hours, failing which the Commission will be constrained to initiate appropriate action pursuant to the provisions of Section 14 of the CPCR (Commission for Protection of Child Rights) Act, 2005," the commission said.
Created by Alankrita Shrivastava, of Lipstick Under My Burkha fame, Bombay Begums explores the dreams and desires of five women from different strata of society as they fight for survival in Mumbai. The show features Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash, Plabita Borthakur and Aadhya Anand.