In a video, reported by the Indian media in 2017, Sunny Deol and Dimple Kapadia were spotted together in London and can be seen holding hands together. They both were also spotted together at Mumbai airport before the video went viral on social media.
They both often make headlines for their alleged controversial love life and extra marital affair despite Sunny being married. Dimple was married to Bollywood superstar late Rajesh Khanna before she decided to separate from him. They both have never admitted their relationship but Sunny Deol’s ex-girlfriend Amrita Singh confirmed that they both were dating.
Deol and Kapadia have worked together in successful feature films such as Manzil Manzil, Gunaah, Aag Ka Gola, Arjun and Narasimha.
Netizens trolled the actors on social media and also dragged Twinkle Khanna and Akshay Kumar in the controversy.
Amazon Prime’s latest Indian web series Tandav has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. After the show opened to poor reviews by critics, it sparked outrage among the Hindu right-wing for depicting Lord Shiva in poor light. Protests were arranged and threats were issued against the cast and makers of the series (police had to be stationed outside Saif Ali Khan’s house), forcing them to issue an apology. They later also agreed to remove the objectionable parts in view of rising unrest.
However, despite the poor reviews and immense backlash, the show continues to trend and with good reason – the foremost being that the show is extremely binge-able. The episodes are short, crisp, and fast-paced. Though the plot is weak and predictable with the makers trying to fit in too many issues in just nine episodes – dynastic politics, the race for the seat, farmers’ protests, and the student protests’ – the mindblowing performances will make you forgive the producers.
Anuradha
Saif Ali Khan was amazing as the manipulative and ruthless Samar Pratap as was Dimple Kapadia as the power-hungry Anuradha Kishore. Let me just add that Kapadia owned every scene she was in, her screen presence was that good. Sunil Grover’s performance as Gurupal, Samar’s henchman was enough to send a chill down your spine.
Gurupal
Zeeshan Ayub did complete justice to his role of a morally upright and ambitious student Shiva and won audiences with his flawless performance. Playing a role like this in India’s current political climate requires guts and Ayub shone in it.
As far as the show’s plot is concerned, there are two parallel stories running – on the one hand, we have India’s ruling party and their internal politics and quest for the Pradhānamantrī‘s ‘kursi’ and on the other, we have young students rallying for their rights and those of the farmers, who have been evicted from their land. Trouble brews when the two worlds collide and that’s what the gist of the series is.
Director Ali Abbas Zafar, in an official statement, clarified that “Tandav is a work of fiction and any resemblance to acts and persons and events is purely coincidental” and that’s how one should also take it. While the series does appear to have been inspired by real-life incidents, it is also imperative to keep in mind that creative liberty has been taken.
It would be pertinent to mention that some scenes of the series have been shot at Saif’s ancestral home, Pataudi Palace. This is also the first time shooting took place inside the historical palace.
In an interview, Saif had shared that though he doesn’t mind renting the grounds of the property, he was a “little bit nervous when the crew moved inside”.
I would also like to add here that several viewers had expressed that they found the background score to be overpowering, I felt it complimented the mood and overall setting of the show.
Tandavis no Rajneeti but it isn’t all that terrible either. Watch it for the performances, drama and masala.
Saif Ali Khan and the makers of Tandav are at the receiving end of backlash and outrage after a local official from India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party registered a police complaint against Amazon Prime’s latest web series alleging it insults Hindu gods and goddesses.
Protests against Amazon were also organised and party supporters marched to Amazon’s office in Mumbai on Monday, but the police only allowed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Kadam and few other supporters to enter the office. After the BJP leader met the officials of Amazon Prime Video, he tweeted that the company’s officials were adamant about their views and urged people to boycott Amazon altogether.
“We went to Amazon’s office in BKC to ask them to stop Tandav’s streaming and apologise for the same. But they still aren’t letting go of their pride. I ask the whole nation to boycott Amazon’s products and show the power of this nation,” said Kadam in a tweet.
According to details, the political drama drew the ire of lawmakers from the BJP causing fresh controversy for the e-commerce giant which last year had to withdraw dozens of rugs and doormats depicting Hindu gods from its international Amazon.com platform after a backlash in India.
BJP Member of Parliament Manoj Kotak, in a letter to India’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar dated Saturday, said that the makers of Tandav “have deliberately mocked Hindu gods and disrespected Hindu religious sentiments”.
He called on the ministry to immediately form an authority to regulate streaming platforms, and in the meantime called for a ban on the series till the required scenes are not removed.
— Manoj Kotak ( Modi Ka Parivar ) (@manoj_kotak) January 17, 2021
Amazon did not respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Saif Ali Khan, who plays the ruthless Samar Pratap in the show, has been given police security. A set of policemen were seen guarding his building to ensure all the safety required to the star and his family.
BJP leaders have also demanded Saif to clarify his position related to the controversy.
“Whenever an actor signs a film or a web series, he’s narrated the script,” said MLA Ram Kadam. “A seasoned actor like Saif would have clearly known what was the content of the series and yet he agreed to do it.”
“We have a question for Saif. Why didn’t he say no to such a project where the religious sentiments of Hindus are being hurt? Why didn’t he say such content is inappropriate? We want to know what is the position of the talented actor in this regard,” he continued.
“The whole country and supporters of Hindu Gods and Goddesses will delete the app and boycott all Amazon products from here on. This has been going on for far too long. The Bollywood industry, web series makers, and actors like Saif need to understand that Hindus will not tolerate this anymore,” he added.
Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, the political drama also stars Sunil Grover, Dimple Kapadia, Sarah-Jane Dias, Gauahar Khan, Kritika Kamra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and Dino Morea in lead roles.
India late last year brought streaming platforms under the oversight of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and said it plans to regulate their content.
Streaming services have gained traction in India because of the availability of affordable smartphones and cheap mobile data, making the South Asian nation a battleground for Amazon, Netflix, and Disney as they seek to expand outside their home markets.
