Netflix Urged to Stop Streaming ‘Bombay Begums’ Over Alleged Indecent Portrayal of Children

Rated 18+, Netflix’s new web series 'Bombay Begums' is a story of five women across generations in contemporary India. They are trying to shatter the glass ceiling by making difficult choices and struggling with personal crises, ethics, societal pressure, and their ambitions.

India’s National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has issued a notice to Netflix India to stop streaming 'Bombay Begums' for the “inappropriate portrayal of children” in the web series.

#NationalCommissionforProtectionofChildRights (#NCPCR) & its Chairman @KanoongoPriyank has issued a notice to @NetflixIndia to stop streaming #BombayBegums citing inappropriate portrayal of children & allegedly normalises minors indulging in casual sex & drug abuse @SputnikInt pic.twitter.com/tWtZFm8ZOm

— Sangeeta yadav (@Sangeeta_Yadavv) March 12, 2021

​The Commission took action after several netizens complained on social media and tagged the chairperson of NCPCR, Priyank Kanoongo, alleging that the series normalises minors indulging in casual sex and drug abuse.

The NCPCR has asked to “furnish a detailed action report within 24 hours”, failing which it said it will be compelled to initiate appropriate legal action.

Thank you for reporting, I will share details of action taken https://t.co/hqcdzcIrlx

— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) March 11, 2021

The scenes in question are from the storyline of a teenage girl character named “Shai” who suffers from common teenage problems such as low self-esteem and body image, depression and peer pressure. She is shown to have a stepmother with whom she is unable to talk about life.

13 year old girl drinks & consumes drugs because her heartthrob Imran Siddiqui is dancing with other girls

Anti-CAA crusader & Director @alankrita601 takes extra-efforts to highlight her age
Welcome to New Urdu-wood
Bombay Begums streaming @NetflixIndiapic.twitter.com/RddxJ9km9x

— Gems of Bollywood (@GemsOfBollywood) March 11, 2021

Raising a red flag for the alleged inappropriate portrayal of children in the series, the commission said in the notice that “this type of content will not only pollute the young minds but may also result in abuse and exploitation of children”.

"Netflix should take extra precaution while streaming any content in respect of the children or for the children and shall also refrain themselves from getting into such things," the Commission stated in its notice.

The fictional series stars actresses Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash, Plabita Borthakur and Aadhya Anand.

The director of the web series Alankrita Shrivastava and a Netflix India spokesperson remained unavailable for comment.