Controversial television and film producer Ekta Kapoor and her mother, Shobha Kapoor, have landed in legal trouble after a case was filed against them for depicting inappropriate scenes involving minors in an episode of the web series Gandii Baat. The case, which pertains to season 6 of the series on the ALT Balaji OTT platform, was registered at MHB police station in Mumbai under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Information Technology (IT) Act, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
According to Mumbai Police, the complaint alleges that Gandii Baat, which streamed between February and April 2021, featured obscene scenes involving minor girls. The police have registered a case against Ekta Kapoor, her mother Shobha Kapoor, and Balaji Telefilms Limited under IPC Section 295-A (outraging religious feelings), the IT Act, and sections 13 and 15 of the POCSO Act, which relate to sexual exploitation of children.
While the episode in question is no longer available to stream on the ALT Balaji app, the content has sparked significant controversy. The complainant has alleged that explicit scenes featuring minors were broadcast, leading to legal action. In addition to the obscene scenes, the complaint also accuses the web series of containing defamatory content related to prominent leaders and spiritual figures.
The police confirmed that the FIR was registered on the night of October 18, following court directives after the complainant’s initial attempts to file a report at MHB police station were allegedly ignored. According to the complaint, the police station’s inaction prompted the complainant to take the matter to court. A senior officer at the Mumbai police station stated, “We will soon issue notices to the accused, asking them to appear for questioning. Our first step will be to record the complainant’s detailed statement and then proceed accordingly.”
The investigation is currently underway, and the authorities are verifying the claims made in the complaint, particularly focusing on whether the depicted scenes involved minors, as alleged. Another police officer confirmed, “The investigation is being carried out in line with the court’s directives, and we are working to validate the allegations made in the FIR.”
The legal troubles come at a challenging time for Ekta Kapoor, who recently saw the release of her drama film Love, Sex aur Dhokha 2 (LSD 2), directed by Dibakar Banerjee, on April 19. The film, which addresses the impact of a digitally obsessed society, has been making waves for its provocative poster and confrontational themes.
As the investigation into the Gandii Baat controversy unfolds, the case has raised questions about the depiction of minors on digital platforms and the broader responsibility of content creators in the OTT space.
On October 19, Organiser reported that activists and protesters have strongly criticised the controversial OTT platform ALT Balaji for its objectionable content, ranging from the misrepresentation of minors to the inclusion of disturbing themes like incest. The content created by ALT Balaji, headed by producer Ekta Kapoor, has repeatedly come under fire, with activists taking to social media to voice their concerns.
One of the prominent social media accounts, Gems of Bollywood, which has a large following, has been particularly vocal in its criticism of ALT Balaji. The account has frequently called out the platform for its explicit content. In one post, Gems of Bollywood highlighted a scene from one of ALT Balaji’s series, accusing it of promoting incest. The post described how the show depicted “a man sleeping with his grandmother, stepmother, sister-in-law, and cousin sister,” calling it part of a larger agenda to normalise and promote incestuous relationships.
In another explosive post, the social media handle raised serious concerns about minors’ access to pornographic content on the platform. The post condemned the ease with which underage viewers can access such material, stating, “While one cannot sell porn in schools, children take online classes on the same device that serves porn without verification.”
Ekta Kapoor’s platform has faced legal challenges and public backlash over its content before. In one high-profile incident, ALT Balaji was forced to remove a show after significant pressure from the Save Culture Save Bharat foundation. The foundation had described the show as “incest-promoting porn,” leading to widespread protests. Although ALT Balaji initially defended the controversial series, framing it as a work promoting “women empowerment,” the platform eventually gave in to legal intervention and public pressure, pulling the content from its catalogue.
