Angry Viewers Ask Smriti Irani To Ban The TV Show Pehredaar Piya Ki After Suhagraat Episode!

Angry viewers have started a petition, addressed to Smriti Zubin Irani, Union Cabinet Minister of Textiles and Information and Broadcasting (Additional Charge), to get television show Pehredaar Piya Ki off air. The show tells the story of 9-year-old boy and 18-year-old woman who are married to each other.

The petition was posted by a Mansi Jain on Change.org and needs 50,000 signatures. At the time of this story being published, 42,000 people had already signed it. It reads, “Pehredar piya ki. - A 10 year old impressionable little kid(” piyaa”) caressing and stalking a lady who’s more than double his age and filling sindoor in her “maang” is being telecasted at prime time -8:30pm on sony. (Family time) It is to be devoured by the entire Nation. Imagine the kind of influence it will steadily and perpetually infuse in the viewers mindset. We want a ban on the serial. We do not want our kids to be influenced by such tv serials. Join us in signing the petition to ban this serial (sic).”

In recent episodes, the couple was sent into a room for their suhagraat and will soon leave for a honeymoon in London.

Pehredaar Piya Ki aired its first episode two weeks ago. It tells the story of the young prince who is put under the care and security of his adult wife. Even the promos got a lot of flak for showing a romantic relationship between a child and an adult. The trailer showed child actor Afaan Khan put vermillion on Tejaswi Prakash, causing a furore among viewers.

The show’s synopsis on YouTube reads: ‘While Diya takes up her duty of a wife and wilfully commits to the relationship, Ratan is enamored by her beauty and considers her to be a pari from the fairy tales he has heard from his Maasa. Though being a miss matched couple, both create a comfortable world for themselves. While 9-year-old husband tries to cheer up his wife Diya with his cute gestures, Diya keeps up the promise to protect him and nurture their relationship. Will Diya and Ratan rewrite the pages of history with their love story? Is age only a number when it comes to finding true love? Watch the unfolding of a beautiful fairytale as Pehredaar Piya Ki presents the most unique Jodi on Indian television (sic).’

Television actor Karan Wahi has expressed his disappointment at the makers of the show on Facebook in July. “Dear producer and channel, I understand we can’t make shows like How I Met Your Mother and Friends, and honestly I don’t expect us to also, but for the love of god and for the reason we all got in this industry please don’t sell me stupidity in the name of content which gives TRP because honestly no one is watching this,” he wrote in the post.

Actor Suyyash Rai, who is a part of the show, posted on Instagram saying that Karan’s views are his own and the show doesn’t support child marriage. “Guys, whatever Karan Wahi said it’s his point of view. No one can question him neither me nor you guys. But this doesn’t change the fact that we, the whole team of #PPK, we love this show and we all have worked really hard for it and we still are and we will. Our motive is to entertain you guys not promote child marriage or anything. This show is different , please don’t judge it and jump onto conclusions,” he had written.