The world of web-series has become an integral part of our entertainment world, especially since the lockdown. These shows never disappointed us with the entertainment dose for these past months when we were locked in our houses. However, some of the shows did not get along with the audience. And as a result, many web series managed to land in controversy despite having a good rating and viewership. So, here we are with a list of web-series that became part of the controversial world.
The Jordanian Arabic-language supernatural drama is a Netflix show that generated controversy for the so-called scenes that feature 'moral degradation' which included being openly intimate and using bad language. Jinn became controversial in Jordan, with some government agencies threatening censorship.
This documentary series revolves around the controversial Indian spiritual guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, also known as Osho. Osho was entangled in a lot of controversies, most notable ones being running a sex cult and a bioterror attack in the United States.
The American thriller web series by Michael Petroni revolves around a CIA officer investigating a mysterious charismatic figure who is famous among his followers as a divine entity (comparing him to Jesus) who performs miracles. The show was highly criticised for being anti-Islamic which ended up in the cancellation of the show after season 1.
This Netflix show is based on Queen Elizabeth II and was immensely appreciated by the global audience. However, Multiple loyal royal supporters criticised the show with regard to the depiction of the queen and some of her close family members.
The dark comedy show revolved around an introvert small town comedian who also happens to be a serial killer. The series featured Vir Das in the lead role. The show became the part of a controversy after many lawyers were offended the way they were showcased in the show. A petition was filed against the makers of the show for addressing lawyers as thieves, goons and rapists.
The Indian dystopian drama web series by Deepa Mehta featured Huma Qureshi and went on to become quite a hit show. However, immediately after the show's release, people all over India accused the show of showcasing a phobia against the Hindu community. People criticized the makers for hurting the sentiments of the Hindu community and also called for a boycotting the series.
Betaal is a zombie horror web television series that received generally mixed reviews, with praise for its innovative and powerful storyline. However, the series landed up in a controversy when Marathi screenwriters alleged that the series has lifted the plot from their zombie film Vetaal. The writers also moved to the Bombay High Court regarding the matter.
The Indian historical drama is based on the life of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and featured Ramya Krishnan playing the lead in the film. However, relatives of the late Chief Minister filed a lawsuit against the show accusing them of destroying the image of the late Tamil Nadu CM.
Paatal Lok is a 2020 crime drama series that is produced by Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma and became a huge hit for its storyline. However, a legal notice was issued to Anushka Sharma that made the series a part of the controversy. The notice accuses the web series of using caste genitive words, which have allegedly insulted the entire Nepali community.
Ekta Kapoor also landed in big trouble after the release of her erotic comedy and drama web series XXX Season 2. Bigg Boss 13 contestant Hindustani Bhau AKA Vikas Pathak filed a police complaint against producers Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor at Khar police station in Mumbai. He accused them of disrespecting the uniform of the Indian Army in one of the scenes of the show.
Sachin Mohite's web show Gandi Baat gained a quite good no. audience but ended up in a controversy for all of its four seasons. The show was accused of portraying highly vulgar and erotic content in nature.
The crime thriller web series marked the digital debut of Kunal Kemmu in the lead role. It went on to gain much popularity but also faced a lot of trolling after they misused a sketch of freedom fighter Khudiram Bose and put it up on a criminal board during one of the scenes shot inside a police station.
The series featured Bobby Deol in the lead role and enjoyed a huge number of audience for its thrilling plot. But a section of society perceived the web series as a target to Hinduism and Hindu leaders. Directed by filmmaker Prakash Jha, the show has courted controversy for its 'hinduphobic' narrative. This led to the hashtag #ArrestPrakashJha trending on Twitter.
The Netflix thriller show is one of the hit web-shows in India that featured Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Saif Ali Khan. However, it landed up in a controversy when Congress President Rahul Gandhi accused the show of misrepresentation' of facts during his father's (Rajiv Gandhi) regime.
Delhi Crime is a crime-thriller web series that earned a pretty good audience and made it won the Emmy Awards for 'Best Drama Series'. However, the series got rave reviews for its sensitive portrayal of the Nirbhaya gangrape case and for overdramatizing the whole case.
Mira Nair's A Suitable Boy starring Ishaan Khatter and Tabu is a popular show that was recently released on Netflix and ended up in a controversy. Recently, an FIR has been registered against two Netflix executives for showing objectionable content and encouraging love jihad in the series.