'Pehredaar Piya Ki' pulled off air after controversy, cast and crew shocked

'Pehredaar Piya Ki' pulled off air after controversy

Sony Entertainment Television today said it has pulled off 'Pehredaar Piya Ki', days after Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) directed it to shift the show in late night slot from prime time.

The serial, which began airing on the channel last month, attracted the audience's ire over its content, which showed a nine-year old boy (Afaan Khan) into a marriage with a 18-year-old woman (Tejasswi Prakash).

The show was slammed for being "regressive", with many viewers accusing it for "promoting child marriage."

"Effective August 28, 2017, we are pulling off our programme, 'Pehredaar Piya Ki', from television. While we understand that the decision to end this serial will be disappointing to those whose creative energies are vested in it, we (as a channel) are convinced that we will be better served by focusing instead on developing viewer interest in our upcoming, new shows," the channel said in a statement.

Two weeks ago BCCC directed the channel to move the show from 8.30 pm to the 10 pm slot, so that minors do not watch it.

The council had also asked the channel to run it with a scroll, reading that it does not promote child marriage.

The makers agreed to incorporate the changes suggested by the BCCC, the self-regulatory body for television industry.

An online petition was also launched against the show, which was signed by over a lakh people, urging the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to ban it.

A source informs, "The shift in the time slot didn't work well for the show. The cast and crew were in for a shock. A lot of people will lose jobs over this sudden decision."

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(With inputs from Letty Mariam Abraham)