Supreme Court Rejections Still Based on Amazon Prime’s Mirzapur Part 3, Calls for Pre-Censorship of the Unacceptable Web Series
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked how it is possible to have a pre-screening committee for TV series, movies or other shows to be released directly on online platforms.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of the Court of India UU Lalit observed that they always felt pre-censorship was unacceptable.
“How can there be a pre-screening committee for web series? There are specific laws. Unless you say OTT (over-the-top) is also part of it… you must say that the applicable law must apply to OTT. Different questions will arise because transmission occurs from other countries,” the bench said.
The highest court is hearing a lawsuit filed by Sujeet Kumar Singh, a resident of Mirzapur, for the establishment of a pre-screening committee for series, movies or other programs to be released live on online platforms.
Top Court also refused to stay in the third season of popular Mirzapur web series, currently in production.
Previously, the Supreme Court issued notices to manufacturers and manufacturers Mirzapur web series and Amazon Prime Video in a petition complaining about the depiction of the city of Mirzapur in low light in the popular OTT series.
PIL says that in the web series, the producers presented Mirzapur as a city of adulterers and adulterers and displayed that image as the city of Uttar Pradesh. It added that in the fictional series, Mirzapur was shown to be full of terrorism, crime and other illegal activities.
Claiming that the Mirzapur series has tarnished the city’s historical and cultural image, the petition claims that the OTT series is filled with nudity, profanity, harassment, and abuse of language.
The petition sought the direction of the Indian government to form a committee to screen series, films or other programs to be released live on the online platform. “The I&B Department must issue a required certification from a government agency before releasing any web series, movie or show,” the plea added.
“The Government of India should establish rules and regulations for series, films and other programs that are released on web platforms and must be censored like other films before their release in theaters.” It says.
