Filmmaker Prakash Jha’s web series, Aashram, starring Bobby Deol was served a legal notice on Wednesday for allegedly hurting Hindu sentiments. The legal notice was sent to the OTT platform MX Player, which streams the show, as well as producer-director Jha, on the ground of “directly targeting the ancient tradition, custom and culture of Hindu Ashramas Dharma.” The notice was sent by Surjeet Singh, Pradesh Sangathan Mahamantri of Karni Sena.
Jha said, “let the audience decide about ‘Aashram 2’. ‘Aashram 1’ was watched by 400 million people across the world. If I have portrayed Hindu religion in bad shape then let the audience decide.”
Now the Karni Sena is likely to move in court against ‘Aashram 2’. Karni Sena has sent a notice to Jha which reads: “At the outset, my client states that the web series named ‘Aashram: Chapter 2 – The Dark Side’, which was released on MX Player and produced and directed by Prakash Jha under Prakash Jha Production Creation, has deeply hurt the sentiments of the people at large and it is also going to spread negative goodwill about Hindu religion. The characters shown in the official trailer are not targeting an individual personality but directly targeting the ancient tradition, custom and culture of Hindu Ashramas Dharma which disturbs people at large.”
It further states that the first season of ‘Ashram’ web series shown lots of objectionable scenes degrading the image of Aashram in Hindu customs and now the official trailer of ‘Aashram 2’ web series has continued degrading the image of Aashram in Hindu religion. My client condemns such repeated attempt of degrading Hindu religion and is asking you to remove its official trailer and stop the release of the web series with immediate effect.” After a successful run of the first season recently, the second season of the show, ‘Aashram: Chapter 2 – The Dark Side’, is slated to release on 11 November.