Actors cannot be held liable for the dialogues: Delhi HC on Netflix 'Sacred Games' case

New Delhi, July 16: During the hearing of a plea seeking removal of certain scenes from the Netflix series 'Sacred Games', the Delhi High Court on Monday said actors cannot be held liable for the dialogues.

The plea alleged that certain scenes and dialogues in the show defamed late Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi. All 8 episodes of the series have already been aired. The bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar will next hear the matter on Thursday (July 19).

Petitioner advocate Nikhil Bhalla, in the petition filed through advocate Shashank Garg, contended that the show, starring Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, "incorrectly depicts historical events of the country like Bofors case, Shah Bano case, Babri Masjid case and communal riots".

The plea has sought directions to Netflix Entertainment, the show's producer -- Phantom Films Production Ltd -- and the Centre to ensure "in toto" removal of the allegedly offensive scenes and derogatory remarks made directly or indirectly against the former prime minister or his family.

The series contains episodes referring to the 1975 Emergency, imposed by Indira Gandhi, the government's forced sterilisation plan to the Bofors scandal and Rajiv Gandhi's gaffe in the 1985 Shah Bano case, when he was accused of choosing politics over women's rights.

The first season of the show, comprising eight episodes, was released on July 6 and is available in 190 countries in four languages.