Mitakshara Kumar-directed web series, The Empire, has premiered on Disney+Hotstar today. The 8 episodes show stars Shabana Azmi, Kunal Kapoor, Dino Morea, Drashti Dhami, Rahul Dev and many others in the lead. Produced by Emmay Entertainment, The Empire is about the founder of the Mughal Empire, Babur, and traces his journey as ruler that begins when he is 14 years old.
Hours after The Empire released, netizens felt the web series glorified Mughals and didn't highlight Babur's atrocities. They went on to trend hashtag "Uninstall Hotstar" on Twitter. One of the Twitter users said, "Those invaders who destroyed and looted India, killed Hindus, converted them in the name of their intolerant Jihad are being glorified in 2021? Is this what we are doing? Shame on you producers, writers, actors, etc." The other wrote, "Hotstar rejects grievance complaints against their series on Babur, claims they are not glorifying the Islamic invader. I have uninstalled, Have you??"
#UninstallHotstar
Now it's Loud and Clear message to hotstar Netflix and movie sponsors if you will promote to Bollywood mafiya and Nepotism Franchises , we will not support you we will boycott you .#UninstallHotstar pic.twitter.com/aVa3QFpIsk
— Sanvikha (@Sanvikha2) August 27, 2021
Those invaders who destroyed and looted India, killed Hindus, converted them in the name of their intolerant Jihad are being glorified in 2021?
Is this what we are doing?
Shame on you producers, writers, actors, etc.#UninstallHotstar pic.twitter.com/nRLqQkRXbK
— Achintya pandey ( ) (@achintyaapandey) August 27, 2021
I Request To All Nationalist .
Kindly #UninstallHotstar
pic.twitter.com/KKBuhESdPU— Rajaram Gurjar (@BjpRajaram99) August 27, 2021
Shame on Hotstar App. #UninstallHotstar@beingarun28 @YogiDevnath2 pic.twitter.com/GCJMUw6zEi
— Dinesh Kumar BJP (@DineshBJPindia) August 27, 2021
Mughals were neither great rulers nor were they secularists pic.twitter.com/8ak2gcPqKW
— Chetan Rajhans © (@1chetanrajhans) August 27, 2021
According to reports, the entire matter started after Vikas Pandey, a software professional and activist, issued a complaint against The Empire to Disney+Hotstar's grievance officer on the basis of the trailer. However, on Wednesday, the grievance officer rejected the complaint and defended the series saying it doesn't glorify the Mughal ruler. The officer reportedly claimed that the trailer was just a glimpse of the series.
As per the complainant, The Empire is objectionable because 'Babur was a murderer' and also destroyed the Ram Janmbhumi. The complainant alleged that Babur's actions continue to cause pain to Hindus. In response to this, Disney+Hotstar responded and clarified that The Empire doesn't glorify any character and doesn't have any reference to the 2019 Supreme Court judgement in favour of Ram Lalla Virajman at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple where the disputed structure, often referred to as Babri Masjid, stood.
The complainant reportedly said that Babur was responsible for killing and forcing religious conversion of Hindus. He felt that the show based on the Mughal ruler can hurt the religious sentiments of people. Reportedly, Disney+Hotstar replied saying no grievance complaint was entertained even in the past if it was based on a trailer.
(Source: Twitter/OpIndia)
