'The Big Bang Theory' lands into legal trouble for using 'derogatory term' against Madhuri Dixit

Popular show The Big Bang Theory faces legal trouble for using inappropriate term against veteran Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit.

In one of the episodes of the show Jim Parson’s character calls Aishwarya Rai ‘a poor man’s Madhuri Dixit’ to which Kunal Nayyar’s character responds: “Aishwarya Rai is a goddess, by comparison, Madhuri Dixit is a leprous prostitute."

Therefore, using such a derogatory term for a legendary actress has pushed the show into legal trouble. OTT giant Netflix has received a legal notice by political analyst Mithun Vijay Kumar demanding to remove the show claiming that it promotes misogyny.

The statement he issued, read, as reported by HindustanTimes reported: “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. It is their duty to ensure that the material they present does not include derogatory, offensive, or defamatory content. I was deeply troubled by the use of a derogatory term in one of the shows on Netflix - Big Bang Theory. This term was used in reference to the acclaimed actress Madhuri Dixit, and it was not only offensive and deeply hurtful but also showed a lack of regard for her dignity."

“I strongly believe that streaming service providers must take such issues seriously and act quickly to address any instances of offensive or defamatory content. Furthermore, streaming service providers should be proactive in preventing such content from being streamed. This can be achieved through clear guidelines and rigorous screening processes for all the content published. Ultimately, streaming services have a significant influence over the content that is consumed by millions of individuals, and with this influence comes a responsibility to ensure that the content they offer is respectful, inclusive, and free from harmful stereotypes. I hope that this incident will serve as a wake-up call to all streaming services providers to work towards creating a more equitable and respectful media landscape,” the statement said.

The Big Bang Theory aired in September 2007 till 2019 May. The show featuted Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik and Simon Helberg. The popular series has a great fan following all over the world, reports News18.