Launched on July 17, on Sony, TV drama Pehredaar Piya Ki has been pulled off air due to online backlash surrounding its theme. The show revolved around an 18-year-old girl Diya (Tejaswi Prakash Wayangankar) who, compelled by circumstances, marries nine-year-old Ratan Singh (played by Affan Khan), a hotel heir. On his deathbed, Ratan’s father Maan Singh tells Divya’s family that the couple should remarry to make the alliance legal when his son turns 21.
However, viewers found the concept unpalatable and voiced their disapproval online, followed by a petition addressed to Union Cabinet Minister of Textiles and Information and Broadcasting (Additional Charge), Smriti Irani, demanding a ban on the show. The petition got more than a lakh signatures, forcing the channel to hold a press conference at which the show’s producers, Shashi and Sumeet Mittal, clarified their stand.
While they were reportedly in discussion for the late night slot of 10 pm for the show, the channel, over the weekend, decided to pull it off air to avoid further controversies. The channel confirmed the news in a statement, saying, “Effective August 28, we are pulling our programme, Pehredaar Piya Ki, off TV. While we understand that the decision to end this serial will be disappointing to those whose creative energies are vested in it, namely, its crew and cast, we (as a channel) are convinced that we will be better served by focusing instead on developing viewer interest in our upcoming, new shows.”
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I have not seen the programme , So cannot comment. But seems interesting subject.There are millions of people leading their lives so there will be millions of different stories. I would recommend let the creativity be encouraged if it is with in limits.