Netflix faces Lawsuit over Remarks against Madhuri Dixit on The Big Bang Theory

It is now Madhuri Dixit vs The Big Bang Theory: Netflix slapped with lawsuit for ‘leprous prostitute’ comment on The Big Bang Theory.

OTT giant Netflix is again in the news but this time not for any good reason. The video-streaming giant platform has received legal notice from political analyst Mithun Vijay Kumar regarding one of the episodes of its popular American series, ‘The Big Bang Theory’.

Kumar has demanded the removal of The Big Bang Theory from the streaming giant and called it offensive as well as defamatory. The political analyst also accused the content of promoting sexism and misogyny and claimed that it used a “derogatory term” to refer to Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit, according to the news agency PTI.

In the legal notice, the political analyst wants Netflix to remove the first episode of season 2 where Raj Koothrapalli, a character played by Kunal Nayyar and another character Sheldon Cooper played by Jim Parsons compare Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit.

In the scene, Cooper calls Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai a poor man’s Madhuri Dixit to which Koothrapalli replies, “Aishwarya Rai is a goddess, by comparison, Madhuri Dixit is a leprous prostitute”.

Kumar says that the character’s comments on the show are both disrespectful and defamatory and has asked Netflix to remove the episode or face legal action for promoting discrimination against women.

According to multiple news sources, the notice has been sent to the Netflix office in Mumbai.

Recently, I came across an episode of the show Big Bang Theory on Netflix where Kunal Nayyar's character uses an offensive and derogatory term to refer to the legendary Bollywood actress @MadhuriDixit. As a fan of Madhuri Dixit since childhood, I was deeply disturbed by the… pic.twitter.com/pvRCKd5Ne4

— Mithun Vijay Kumar (@MVJonline) March 22, 2023

“My client is deeply concerned about the negative impact that such content can have on society, particularly in perpetuating harmful stereotypes and discrimination against women. This content is not only insensitive but also promotes sexism and misogyny, which is unacceptable in any form,” the notice said. 

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“It is important to hold companies like Netflix accountable for their actions and to ensure that they are sensitive to the cultural values and sentiments of the communities they serve. I was deeply troubled by the use of a derogatory term in one of the shows on Netflix – Big Bang Theory. This term was used in reference to the acclaimed actress Madhuri Dixit, and it was not only offensive and deeply hurtful but also showed a lack of regard for her dignity,” Kumar said.

“I strongly believe that streaming service providers must take such issues seriously and act quickly to address any instances of offensive or defamatory content. Furthermore, streaming service providers should be proactive in preventing such content from being streamed. This can be achieved through clear guidelines and rigorous screening processes for all the content published.

Ultimately, streaming services have a significant influence over the content that is consumed by millions of individuals, and with this influence comes a responsibility to ensure that the content they offer is respectful, inclusive, and free from harmful stereotypes. I hope that this incident will serve as a wake-up call to all streaming services providers to work towards creating a more equitable and respectful media landscape,” Kumar concluded.

The popular American series ‘The Big Bang Theory’, was created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady in 2007 and ended its 12-season run in 2019.

CASE OVER A KISSING SCENE

Previously also, a police case was filed against its two executives after a leader of the governing Hindu nationalist party objected to scenes in the series, ‘A Suitable Boy’, wherein, a Hindu girl kisses a Muslim boy against the backdrop of a Hindu temple.

A FIT (First Information Report) which is an official police complaint was registered in Madhya Pradesh state against Netflix’s two executives for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.

CASE OVER COPYRIGHT RULES VIOLATION

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against stand-up comedian Vir Das, two other persons and online streaming platform Netflix on charges of copyright rules violation following a complaint by a producer, an official said on Tuesday.

LAWSUIT OVER ‘13 REASONS WHY’ SUICIDE SCENE

A lawsuit against Netflix was brought by the family of a teenager whose suicide was allegedly triggered by watching the show ‘13 Reasons Why’. However, a federal judge dismissed the motion.

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