'Pehredaar Piya Ki' producers break silence: There is no lovemaking scene

A still from Pehredaar Piya Ki PicYouTubePehredaar Piya Ki producers Shashi and Sumeet Mittal have finally broken their silence over the controversy surrounding their TV show following reports that Union Minister Smriti Irani has demanded swift action against the showAn online petition has been launched demanding an immediate ban on Pehredaar Piya Ki The TV show revolves around a 10yearold boy married to a 20plus womanThe drama has been receiving a barrage of criticism since it went on air last month for its regressive and bizarre contentThe petition on changeorg was started by an angry viewer Mansi Jain who has urged Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani to ban the show Jains petition has received more than one lakh signaturesA Mumbai NGO has also demanded a ban on the prime time teleserial for alleged vulgarity and promoting child marriageThe Jai Ho Foundation has shot off a complaint to Commissioner of Police Datta Padsalgikar and Union Minister Smriti Irani raising strong objections to the content of the teleserial and seeking a ban on it since it is a bad influence on children and adults alikeAlso readViewers petition to ban Pehredaar Piya Ki actress defends showPehredaar Piya Ki producers Shashi and Sumeet Mittal Picture courtesy Jagran New MediaNow according to reports Smriti Irani has taken a strong objection to the show She has written to the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council BCCC and has asked them to take immediate action against the show This has sparked buzz of the show going off airSumeet Mittal and Sakshi Mittal of Shashi Sumeet Productions which backs the show organised a press conference here amid the hullabaloo over the content of Pehredaar Piya Ki which shows a girl aged 18 married to a nineyearold boy who used to click her photographs without getting noticed Some episodes have been about them having a suhag raat and even enjoying a honeymoonThe producers said they are ready to give an explanation if needed to the concerned authority even as an online petition as well as a Mumbai NGO have demanded a ban on the prime time teleserialAsked if they have received any notice from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Sakshi said No we havent received any notice from the authority and if we get so we are ready to give our explanation because we know that we have not shown anything wrong in the story We would like to tell everyone that please do not judge the show without watching itWhat if the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council BCCC asks the makers to change the plotSumeet said No we will rather request them to know the content before making any decision So far we have no plan to change the plot of the showThe makers of the show also screened two of the episodes of Pehredaar Piya Ki at the conference to give an insight into the circumstances that lead to Divya deciding to get married to a boy who is half of her age The episode featuring the suhag raat sequence was showcasedAccording to Sakshi many people have filed the petition without watching the showThe other day I went to a party where some ladies were talking about the show before me without knowing that I am its writer When I asked them if they have watched it they replied that they do not watch television that much but if such a show is happening it should be banned I mean where is the logic to itActor Karan Wahi had last month taken to social media to comment on Pehredaar Piya Ki calling it stupidity in the name of content He deleted the post within a few hours but its screenshot circulated around the webReacting to it Sumeet said I think it was irresponsible of him to say that and I will ask my office to send a letter to Karan Wahi requesting and asking him why he gave a statement like that If he has something to say he would also have a reason for it And If I get an answer from him I will definitely share it with the mediaMeanwhile they also defended the shows content by saying they have no intention to promote child marriage and that the show merely tells the story of an unusual coupleSakshi explained The girl Divya took the decision of marrying a boy who is half of her age to keep his fathers last wish He was the man who also once saved her life So Divya took the decision emotionally and not logicallyNo one forced her to get married which usually happens in any child marriage So this story is not promoting the tradition of child marriage whatsoever Here Divya voluntarily dedicated her life to that little boy to protect him from the rest of the family members who are his enemiesAsked about what made them show the honeymoon and suhag raat Sakshi said If you look at the story everyone in their family is making fun of and insulting Divya for marrying Ratan who is half her age So they are intentionally creating uncomfortable situations for the couple by decorating a room for their suhag raat and asking Ratan to go for a honeymoonHowever if you look at the episode no lovemaking scenes have been shownPehredaar Piya Ki producers Shashi and Sumeet MittalIn the plea the NGOs President Afroz Malik and General Secretary Adil Khatri said that in the teleserial telecast on Sony TV on prime time A 10year old child Piyaa is seen caressing stalking and having a relationship of a sexual nature with a lady who is more than double his age and filling sindoor in her maangThis is an indecent and obscene representation of a child for the purpose of representing sexual relationship they pointed outThis TV serial as a whole is inciting and encouraging young childrens minds to commit and engage in sexual relationship said Malik and Khatri in the complaintAlso seeSanjay Dutts daughter Trishala looks unrecognisable in these photosWith inputs from Anupriya Verma