Action on complaint against 'Tandav' to be as per law:Deshmukh

Maharashtra Police have receiveda complaint about controversial web series ''Tandav'' and formalaction will taken in the case as per law, state Home MinisterAnil Deshmukh said on Wednesday.

Talking to reporters here, Deshmukh also demanded theCentre to come up with a law to regulate content on the overthe top (OTT) platforms.

After several FIRs were filed in some states againstthe Amazon Prime Video's political drama ''Tandav'' for allegedinappropriate depiction of Hindu deities and calls for itsban, its makers on Tuesday agreed to implement changes to thecontroversial web series.

Deshmukh said, ''We have received a complaint. We willregister an FIR and take action formally.'' He did not specify who has lodged the complaint.

Deshmukh also said the Centre should come up with alaw to regulate content on the OTT platforms to ensure no''caste-based discrimination or communal divide'' is caused dueto any content available there.

The minister downplayed questions about the UttarPradesh Police visiting Mumbai in connection with an FIRagainst the web series.

He said the Maharashtra Police personnel also gooutside the state to conduct probes.

''They (UP police) had informed us that an FIR hasbeen registered there and they will be coming here for aninvestigation,'' he added.

In Uttar Pradesh, three FIRs have been lodged againstthe makers and artists of ''Tandav'' -- in Lucknow, GreaterNoida and Shahjahanpur.

The complainants have alleged inappropriate depictionof UP Police personnel, Hindu deities, and adverse portrayalof a character playing prime minister in the political drama.

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra onTuesday condemned the way ''Tandav'' actor Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub,Saif Ali Khan Khan and its director Ali Abbas Zafar ''reactedto our religion and hurt sentiments''.

''The Madhya Pradesh government will register a case inthis regard,'' he said in Bhopal.

MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also reactedto the controversy, saying ''no one has the right to hurt ourfaith and insult our deities.'' He said ''obscenity being served on OTT platforms isnot good for our teenagers'' and called for close monitoring ofthese platforms.

Earlier, BJP MP Manoj Kotak from Mumbai North-East andMadhya Pradesh minister Vishvas Sarang were among thepoliticians who appealed to the Information and BroadcastingMinister Prakash Javadekar to ban the series.

BJP MLA from Mumbai Ram Kadam recently approached theGhatkopar police here against the web series, alleging that itridicules Hindu deities.

The cast and crew of Amazon Prime Video's glossypolitical show ''Tandav'' on Tuesday said they had decided toimplement changes to ''address concerns''.

In their second apology statement in as many days, theshow's team also thanked the Ministry of Information andBroadcasting for its ''guidance & support'' in the matter.

''Tandav'', a nine-episode political thriller starringBollywood A-listers Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia and MohdZeeshan Ayyub, started streaming last week.