Netflix India facing legal challenge over controversial scenes in new series ‘Bombay Begums’

Children cycle past a wall mural in Mumbai

Credit: SUJIT JAISWAL /AFP

India’s government has threatened Netflix with legal action over a new series that it says will "pollute the minds of young children" with scenes of minors taking cocaine. 

Footage in “Bombay Begums” of minors consuming drugs and discussing sending selfies of body parts would have a bad influence on young people, said the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in a statement on Thursday.

Created by award-winning filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava, the series follows the lives of five women across different generations in contemporary Mumbai.

Netflix India did not immediately respond to requests for comment and by Friday evening had yet to publicly respond to the controversy.

The series, which is marked on the platform as for adults only, was still available to stream.

India is considered a key growth market for digital streaming platforms due to its emergent middle class and the fact mobile data is among the cheapest in the world.

But, there are rising concerns that limitations on freedom of speech and increased online monitoring by India’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party could cause problems.

This week, controversial new laws were introduced that will see all digital content subject to government regulation, with the authorities granted the power to remove anything found to be “objectionable”.

The legislation could also force social media companies to break into encrypted messages and take down posts considered by the Indian Government to threaten security.

New Delhi argues the new rules will make online content producers “more responsible, more accountable” but they have been heavily criticised by tech platforms who argue they are part of a wider crackdown on personal freedoms by the authorities.

Television shows have proven a common source of ire Indian officials.

Last week, Amazon Prime was forced to cut a scene in its new drama "Tandav" and summoned for a meeting by India’s Information and Broadcast Ministry after it was accused of insulting Hinduism by BJP politicians.

In November, police in the state of Madhya Pradesh filed a criminal complaint over Netflix’s mini-series "A Suitable Boy" after it contained a kiss between an interfaith couple.