Ekta and Shobha Kapoor may face arrest if they fail to cooperate – Beyond Bollywood

Investigating Officer PI Kiran Surse sheds light on a serious complaint filed by yoga instructor Swapnil Hire regarding alleged offensive content in an episode of the Alt Balaji show Gandi Baat. Balaji Telefilms denies casting minors in their controversial show.

By Mayur Lookhar

Ekta Kapoor is no stranger to controversies, but the current crisis over alleged indecent content could land her and her mother in jail.

Swapnil Hire, a yoga instructor who also runs an NGO, has taken strong offence to alleged indecent content in the Alt Balaji show Gandi Baat. The show and the app are owned by Ekta and her mother Shobha Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms Ltd.

Hire moved Court No. 68 in Borivali, accusing Alt Balaji of showing offensive content involving children in an episode of season 6 of Gandi Baat. The particular episode is said to have been taken down.

Beyond Bollywood spoke to investigating officer Kiran Surse, who enlightened us on the matter.

“Swapnil Hire, a yoga instructor, moved Court No. 68 in Borivali, accusing the production house of indecent content involving children. Following his complaint, the court directed us (MHB Police Station) to probe the matter and accordingly frame charges,” said Surse.

In his complaint, Hire has sought charges under:

Section 156 (3) of CrPC (2021)

Section 67 of the IT Act, 2000

Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code

More worryingly, under Section 12 and Section 13 of the POCSO Act

When asked whether they have come across any incriminating material, Surse said, “The complaint pertains to an episode from 2021. This gentleman will be submitting the evidence soon. What we know so far is that there was just one actor who was a minor. Others were dressed in school uniforms but were adults. One of the actors used some double-meaning words, but it wasn’t the minor artiste. Besides, there was offence taken to a cigarette smoking scene that wasn’t accompanied by an anti-smoking disclaimer.”

At present, only theatrical content requires certification from the Central Board of Film Certification.

Surse will probe the matter, following which a chargesheet will be produced if there is evidence to support the allegations. Could Ekta Kapoor and her mother Shobha be arrested?

“No, right now we are investigating the allegations. If they don’t cooperate, we can move court seeking their arrest. We have received a letter from their legal team, and they have vowed full cooperation.”

Alt Balaji and Balaji Telefilms’ theatrical content has often faced scrutiny over bold content, often said to be reeking of wokeism. Last year, the Ekta Kapoor-produced film Thank You For Coming (2023) shocked audiences when it featured children uttering bizarre dialogues. As a child, Bhumi Pednekar’s character openly spoke about how babies are born in a school elocution. In the pre-climax, children muttered some more bizarre lines.

Gandi Baat, which translates to “Dirty Talk,” has long courted controversy over its content.

Swapnil Hire isn’t the first to take offence to Balaji Telefilms’ content. In 2022, during a hearing on a similar complaint, Justices Ajay Rastogi and C.T. Ravikumar of the Supreme Court of India criticised producer Ekta Kapoor for the objectionable content in her web series XXX. The apex court stated that Kapoor was “polluting the minds of the young generation of this country.”

The current crisis has led to strong criticism of Ekta Kapoor, with aggrieved netizens calling for strict action against her and a ban on Alt Balaji.

A few hours later, Balaji Telefilms issued an official statement addressing the matter concerning Gandi Baat. The company denied the allegations of casting minors in the show. They also clarified that Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor are not involved in the day-to-day affairs of Alt Balaji. The production house expressed full faith in the judiciary and chose not to comment further as the matter is sub-judice.

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