New Delhi: Television channel Sony Entertainment Television, owned by Sony Pictures Networks Ltd, has decided to pull the plug on its controversial daily soap Pehredaar Piya Ki, the channel said on Tuesday.

Launched in July 2017, Pehredaar Piya Ki was a show about the marriage of a nine-year-old Rajput prince and an 18-year-old princess, and caused much outrage on social media for its theme. So much so that even the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) on 17 August asked Sony TV to move Pehredaar Piya Ki (earlier aired at 8.30pm) to a late night slot, following a series of complaints about its content. It was moved to the 10.30pm slot (Monday to Thursday).

The BCCC is the independent self-regulatory body for general entertainment channels set up by the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF).

The show was repeatedly condemned for the alleged promotion of child marriage. While the show was on, the BCCC had also asked Sony to issue a disclaimer that the channel/show does not support child marriage.

ALSO READ: Sony asked to move ‘Pehredaar Piya Ki’ to late night slot, issue disclaimer

“Effective 28 August 2017, we are pulling off our programme Pehredaar Piye 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, namely, its crew and cast, 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.

Sumeet Hukamchand Mittal (of Shashi Sumeet Productions), producer of Pehredaar Piya Ki, said that it was a creative decision to bring down the curtains on the show because the company was unhappy with a non prime time slot. “Our story was not meant for a late night slot. Our audiences were not there at 10.30pm, but at 8.30pm. We have mutually decided (with the channel) to pull back the programme. We are working on a new show to come back to prime time," he said.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Share Via