Netflix gets legal notice over derogatory remarks against Madhuri Dixit on 'The Big Bang Theory'

Political analyst Mithun Vijay Kumar seeks the removal of a popular sitcom from the streaming platform

Netflix has received legal notice from Indian political analyst Mithun Vijay Kumar over one of the episodes of its popular show The Big Bang Theory, reported The Indian Express. It all began when the analyst called out the OTT giant over one of the episodes of the aforementioned series for making derogatory remarks against Indian star, Madhuri Dixit. 

Kumar demanded the removal of the show from the streaming platform and called it offensive as well as defamatory. He also accused the content of promoting sexism and misogyny. As per the publication, in the first episode of The Big Bang Theory's second season, Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), went on to compare former Miss World and celebrated Indian actor Aishwarya Rai with Dixit. In the said scene, he called Rai ‘a poor man’s Madhuri Dixit.' In response, the character Raj Koothrapalli (Kunal Nayyar) quips, “Aishwarya Rai is a goddess, by comparison, Madhuri Dixit is a leprous prostitute.”

Referring to the mentioned scene, Kumar stated to take further legal action against Netflix if they fail to respond or do not comply with the demands made in the notice.

In a statement available with the publication, the political analyst pointed out, “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."

The notice further added, "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.”

Kumar went on to add in his legal notice, “I strongly believe that streaming service providers must take such issues seriously and act quickly to address any instances of offensive or defamatory content. Furthermore, streaming service providers should be proactive in preventing such content from being streamed. This can be achieved through clear guidelines and rigorous screening processes for all the content published."

The court notice further shared, "Ultimately, streaming services have a significant influence over the content that is consumed by millions of individuals, and with this influence comes a responsibility to ensure that the content they offer is respectful, inclusive, and free from harmful stereotypes. 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."

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