Producers of Sacred Games, the popular original series on Netflix has just announced that Season 2 will kickstart soon.
However, at the same time, a fresh petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court, regarding the language used in the series.
In case this petition is accepted, and the ruling is made in favor of the petitioner, then the content shown in Sacred Games can be censored.
Find out more about this news, right here!
Sacred Games: The Real Issue
Nikhil Bhalla, the advocate who had filed the petition at Delhi High Court on July 11th, asking the Court to remove certain dialogues from Sacred Games, which had just debuted on Netflix.
Based on Vikram Chandra’s 2006 novel with the same name, Sacred Games (TV Series) is directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, and produced under the banner of Phantom Films.
The story takes us along a journey from India’s independence to the present moment, wherein a story of a gangster and a cult following is shown in the backdrop of India’s political stage.
When the web series made it debut in July, Nikhil Bhalla petitioned the Delhi High Court, objecting to few scenes which were “derogatory to former PM Rajiv Gandhi.”
Main character Ganesh Gaitonde calls ex-PM Of Indian Rajiv Gandhi a wimp in Hindi. Later, Netflix changed the English translation of the same but refused to change anything else.
On August 8th, the Court had said, “Nobody is pressing or forcing you. You take your own decision, whether you want to change the word or not. We are not going to compel you.”
Sacred Games Can Face Censorship?
Now, as the second season of Sacred Games has been announced, Nikhil Bhalla has again placed a petition in Delhi High Court.
This time, he has requested to for a ‘regulatory board for online streaming companies’, which includes Netflix.
Govt. has formed a special committee to review online content and series broadcasted via online medium. But as of now, the committee has failed to meet even once.
In case the petition to create a special ‘Regulatory Board’ is approved, then Sacred Games, and all other web-only series can face censorship, and the effect would be ripple.
Our Opinion
There is a reason online streaming services such as Netflix has flourished, and altered the dynamics of entertainment, all around the world.
In case India adapts a regressive approach of ‘censorship’, then it will destroy this unique platform.
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