Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, known for Salaam Bombay (1988), Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996), and Monsoon Wedding (2001), has received a legal notice from the All India Shia Personal Law Board for the depiction of a ‘tazia’ (replica of Imam Husain’s mausoleum) in one of the episodes of her miniseries A Suitable Boy (2020).
Drafted by Syed Mohammed Haider Rizvi, who is the president of the legal cell of the Board, the notice alleges that the religious sentiments of millions of people have been hurt and their religious beliefs insulted.
Through the notice, the Board has demanded that the producers should remove the scene from the web series and issue a public apology.
The objection in the notice is to episode 4 of Season 1. “…at 43:30 minutes…you have desecrated a “Tazia” when you have shown it falling to the ground. This particular scene has not just hurt the sentiments of lakhs of people (belonging to different religions, faiths, beliefs and walks of life) who consider a “Tazia” to be the most sacrosanct and keep it at the highest pedestal, but has also invoked religious fervour of sorts amongst them”, reads the notice.
The notice further mentions “Tazia is a replica of the mausoleum of Imam Hussain who stared into the eyes of imminent annihilation but refused to bow down to evil and an oppressive ruler Yazid, who in consequence killed him and almost his entire family on the sands of Karbala in Iraq. Imam Hussain, though martyred centuries ago, but his message of peace and humanity still resonates in the hearts and minds of people at large and has been a source of solace and courage during their testing times.”
While the notice grants that the makers enjoy the Freedom of Speech and Expression, it also draws attention to Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code, which reads, “Whoever, with the deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of citizens of India, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise, insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.”
It calls for deleting the offensive scene from the series and issuing a public apology for depicting the same. “It is needless to say that any act of yours which is contrary to what has been instructed above would invite initiation of criminal proceedings against you inter-alia under section 295 A Indian Penal Code, besides initiating further suitable action against you, at your risks, costs and consequences throughout”, concludes the notice.
The notice has been sent to Nair, who is the director of the series, and her co-director Shimit Amin. Others named in the notice are Lydia Dean Pilcher and Aradhana Seth (producers), BBC Studio, Vinyard Films and Netflix (distributors) and ministers Anurag Thakur (Information and Broadcasting) and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (Minority Affairs).
A Suitable Boy is an adaptation of Vikram Seth’s popular novel of the same name. It premiered on Netflix on July 26, 2020, in Bengali, Hindi, English, and Urdu.
Kajol and Twinkle Khanna respond to backlash
Kajol and Twinkle Khanna address chat show backlash in new Prime Video episode
Highlights:
The backlash around Kajol and Twinkle Khanna's show Two Much did not suddenly appear one morning. You could feel it brewing from the first few episodes through tiny comments here and there turning into bigger conversations online. The marriage bit especially set things off; one short clip, and the whole thing snowballed. In the new bonus episode, shot after filming ended, the two finally spoke about the moment after weeks of noise.
Why the Kajol Twinkle Khanna backlash picked up so fast
The show ran on loose talk, quick lines, and a lot of teasing. It worked early on. Then came the episode with Vicky Kaushal and Kriti Sanon, where Kajol said marriages should have an expiry date and maybe even a renewal.
From there, it only grew. Another episode with Janhvi Kapoor and Karan Johar brought the debate on infidelity back into circulation. Kajol, Twinkle, and Karan said physical cheating was not a deal breaker for them. Janhvi pushed back and viewers argued for days. The backlash stuck, partly because clips were lifted out of context and partly because celebrity comments carry weight, even when framed as jokes.
How Kajol and Twinkle explained themselves
In the bonus episode, Kajol did not pretend everything was normal. She opened the segment with a half-laugh and said, “Now it’s time for our next segment, which has gotten us into a lot of trouble.” It sounded like a joke, but it was not entirely one. There was a slight crack of irritation or maybe tiredness underneath.
Twinkle followed with a straight note; they should have had a disclaimer from episode one. “Nothing we say in this segment should be taken seriously,” she said. “Please do not follow any of our advice.”
Both insisted the tone was always meant to be playful. Not expert talk. Not life lessons. Just two women poking fun at how people think about marriage, relationships, and the messy bits in between.
- YouTube youtu.be
What this means for the show now
Prime Video dropped the bonus episode with Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma in a way that almost felt strategic, like a small reset button to cool the temperature without actually issuing a statement or apology.
And honestly, the guest list this season was stacked in a very “this should be safe” way: Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Sonakshi Sinha, Janhvi Kapoor. Big names, familiar energy. Nobody expected the backlash to come from them. It came from the little throwaway lines Kajol and Twinkle said around them.
What is next for Kajol and Twinkle?
No word yet on season two. Both seemed unfazed in the episode, almost amused by how far the clips travelled. They did not promise changes either. Just a note that their humour was not meant to be instruction.
Kajol ended the segment with a small smile. Twinkle nodded along. And that is where it sat. Two women, a chat show, and a storm they did not expect but chose to address head-on before signing off.