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This blog is addressed to those who applauded Pahlaj Nihalani’s replacement as the censor board chief; those who stood against the banning of the AIB roast and also those who are enraged by the cuts and beeps of Indian censorship. It is addressed to the liberals who have become, perhaps, a little hypocritical about freedom of speech, probably because this time, their own morality has been outraged.
Ever since promotions for Pehredaar Piya Ki’ took off in June this year, the show has received much attention from supporters, but largely intense flak from critics, who seem outraged by the ‘new low’ that Hindi television content has reached. It shows a young Rajput boy marrying an older woman, and some scenes from the show even hint at him stalking her.
Yet, we can’t help but wonder. Is there something worrying about the immense support that the idea of putting a ban on the show is getting from certain sections of the population?
Do not for a second think that this article lends support to the messages and values portrayed in the show. After taking the trouble of actually watching some of its episodes, it is clear that the show is problematic. But perhaps not as problematic as many articles make it out to be.
However, our problem is not with Pehredaar Piya Ki itself. But we do object to the demand for a ban on it. This ban is being demanded, not just by those who jump at the idea given the slightest offence to their sensibilities, but also from those who seem to have consistently supported the idea of ‘freedom of expression’ in all art forms.
Those demanding the ban presented the argument that Pehredaar Piya Ki is regressive, and might influence viewers, primarily young adults and children. Counter arguments suggesting that children should not be allowed to watch the show given that concern, were met with retorts about the ease of access in this digital day and age. For that matter, the show’s recent shift in airing time-slot might not be an adequate measure either.
While both sides of this debate are reasonable, the chaos around Pehredaar Piya Ki bears uncanny resemblance to the arguments surrounding the profanity in Udta Punjab, the attacking nature of the AIB Roast or more recently, the cuts prescribed to Babumoshai Bandookbaaz. People who had spoken out demanding protection of ‘vulnerable’ audiences were labelled as conservatives, while the so-called liberals cried themselves hoarse about the death of the ‘freedom of expression’, pegged on why the truth should not be brushed under our carpets.
So why have we forgotten our ideals so easily now? Shouldn’t Pehredaar Piya Ki have the right to make its point, however much you and I might disagree with it? Is it simply because our own morals now stand outraged, forcing this rather emotional response? Or is it because we believe that Indian audiences are that easily influenced? More worrying still might be the fact that some of us believe we know better. What makes us better judges of content that should fall within the parameters of good, bad and ugly viewing, rather than a show’s target audience? What gives the liberals the right to become the moral police?
The problem is not with the outrage around Pehredaar Piya Ki. It is in fact a positive sign that the show has angered so many, enough to spark a discussion around its cringeworthy bits. But in our opinion, this constructive dissent challenges faulty narratives more effectively than the proposed ban.
(Nisha Vernekar researches on education and gender at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and is an incoming graduate student at SOAS, University of London. Karan Singhal is a volunteer at Pune Collab.)
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