GUWAHATI: Alankrita Shrivastava's controversial Netflix show Bombay Begums is facing massive backlash from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) over 'misrepresentation' of children.
NCPCR directed the popular streaming platform Netflix to stop the streaming of the show within 24 hours, on grounds of 'inappropriate' content revolving around children.
Miguel Das Queah, a Child Rights activist, talking exclusively to G Plus on this issue said, “Childhood experiences are diverse. And filmmakers have the creative freedom to delve into every intricate aspect of human affairs. If a movie were to portray the life of a common street child, it has to show the aspects of sexual abuse and drug dependence”.
“Adolescent mental health, drug dependence and sexual health are always considered prohibited subjects. It would be unfair to blame film makers and ban their creative work in the name of some obscure form of morality. Having said this, if any content that glorifies or reinforces objectification, abuse or exploitation of women and children it surely deserves censure,” he further added.
The NCPCR report claims that the show normalises minors indulging in casual sex and drug abuse.
Speaking to G Plus on the claim, Enakshi Ganguly, co-founder of HAQ, a Child Rights advocacy based organisation said, “NCPCR should get over this banning culture and think proactively that teenagers today have a plethora of information to consume, whether it’s from the internet or otherwise. Therefore, banning a show on Netflix is not going to stop them from being exposed to such content.”
Twitteratis are divided on the issue, a section of people are criticizing the series for ‘wrongful portrayal of children’ while others aren’t supporting the proposed ban.
One Twitter user wrote, “Since when did the size of a girl’s breasts become an important part of school life that a girl needs to take a selfie and share it to prove that she is cool and attractive.”
In the same vein, another wrote, "#BombayBegums shows a 13 yr old Hindu girl snorting cocaine. But she does it under the influence of alcohol which she has had because a Muslim boy refuses to sleep with her, so you can't really blame the director for it.”
One even went so far as to criticize all streaming networks saying, “You CANNOT do business in USA without following US laws. Netflix, Twitter, Amazon, FB, Insta MUST follow Indian laws. It's a question of India's sovereignty and hard-fought freedom.”
Meanwhile, a Netizen in support of Netflix said, "When will this stop? This constant demand for content to be changed or pulled off-screen. Is all creative freedom under siege."
Bombay Begums features Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswami, Plabita Borthakur, Amruta Subhash in the lead roles.