Beloved American sitcom ‘Big Bang Theory’ is facing the heat after political analyst Mithun Vijay Kumar sent a legal notice to OTT giant Netflix over one of its episodes. Kumar has demanded the removal of the show from the streaming platform, calling it offensive and defamatory. He also accused the content of promoting sexism and misogyny.
In the first episode of ‘The Big Bang Theory's second season, Sheldon Cooper, played by Jim Parsons, compares Aishwarya Rai with Madhuri Dixit. He called Aishwarya ‘a poor man’s Madhuri Dixit.' Raj Koothrapalli, played by Kunal Nayyar, replies, ‘Aishwarya Rai is a goddess, by comparison, Madhuri Dixit is a leprous prostitute.’
Mithun has stated that if the notice demands are not fulfilled then there will be a legal action against the OTT platform.
He said in a statement, ‘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 strongly believe that streaming service providers have a responsibility to carefully curate the content that they offer on their platforms. It is their duty to ensure that the material they present does not include derogatory, offensive, or defamatory content. 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.’
He further explained how he believes that service providers should be careful ‘in preventing such content from being streamed.’ He added, ‘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.’
Also watch | Daniel Radcliffe and longtime girlfriend Erin Darke are expecting first child together