Throwback to when The Big Bang Theory came under fire for a controversial remark about a renowned Bollywood actress

Modified Dec 05, 2024 05:15 GMT

Netflix was slapped a legal notice on a remark made about Madhuri Dixit (Image via Instagram/@madhuridixitnene/@kunalkarmanayyar)

Popular CBS series The Big Bang Theory came under fire once for its seemingly controversial remark made against a famed Bollywood actress. The show's characters, Sheldon Cooper and Raj Koothrappali, commented on Madhuri Dixit, sparking a legal notice to Netflix. The notice was slapped to Netflix which currently streams all the episodes of The Big Bang Theory.

Mithun Vijay Kumar, a political analyst, gave the streaming giant a legal notice based on a controversial remark about Dixit. In season 2, episode 1, Cooper tells Koothrappali that Aishwarya Rai is a "poor man's Madhuri Dixit."

Raj quickly retorts that "Aishwarya Rai is a goddess, and by comparison, Madhuri Dixit is a leprous pr*stitute."

The Big Bang Theory: Political analyst offended by remarks on Madhuri Dixit

In a tweet, which has since been made unavailable, Kumar said that an actor used an "offensive and derogatory term" to refer to the legendary Bollywood actress. He went on to say that he has been a fan of Dixit since childhood and he felt insulted on behalf of Indian culture and women.

Kunal Nayyar's character Raj commented on Madhuri Dixit (Image via Getty)

Calling the remark misogynistic and sexist, Kumar wanted the episode removed from Netflix. He also used this example to highlight the need for censorship and holding streaming services accountable for the content they put out to audiences.

According to a report by Business Standard, the political activist said in a statement to the media:

"It is important to hold companies like Netflix accountable for their actions and to ensure that they are sensitive to the cultural values and sentiments of the communities they serve. I strongly believe that streaming service providers have a responsibility to carefully curate the content that they offer on their platforms."

He called for streaming services and OTT platforms to be mindful of the material they curate and to ensure that no material is derogatory, offensive, or defamatory in any way.

Although the episode was streamed back in 2008, the legal notice was given to Netflix in 2023, several years after it first aired on CBS.

Netflix responds to legal notice

Netflix responded to Kumar's legal notice by redirecting him to Warner Bros., who is the licensor of the show. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Kumar said:

"As a sensible streaming service provider that understands cultural sensitivities, Netflix has informed the original producers of the show regarding the gravity of the issue raised by me. I hope Warner Bros. will take appropriate content moderation measures and ensure that their content is free from such abusive language towards people and cultures."

Warner Bros. has not yet responded to the legal notice. However, it is clear from his remarks above that the producers of The Big Bang Theory have been informed of the issue.

About The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory aired for 12 seasons from 2007 to 2019. It starred Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper, Kunal Nayyar as Raj Koothrappali, Johnny Galecki as Leonard Hofstadter, and Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz. Kaley Cuoco played the role of Penny.

The Big Bang Theory was a highly popular comedy series, amassing a total viewership of 18 million in its series finale, as per a report by Forbes.

The show's story revolves around the lives of four nerds and a beautiful blonde woman who moves in next door to Sheldon and Leonard.

The CBS series also added characters Bernadette and Amy Farrah Fowler played by Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik, respectively, in its later seasons.

The Big Bang Theory is available for streaming on Netflix and Prime Video in India and on Hulu and Max in the US.

Edited by Prem Deshpande