The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has issued a notice against Sony Pictures Network for allegedly broadcasting inappropriate content. The video, which went viral on social media, shows a segment of the popular children’s dance show “Super Dancer – Chapter 3” aired on Sony Entertainment Television, where the judges asked a minor contestant “inappropriate and sexually explicit questions” about her parents while on stage. The commission demanded immediate removal of the episode from all platforms.
“The Commission has received a video on Twitter from your child’s dance show Super Dancer Chapter 3 which was aired on Sony Entertainment Television, in which the judges of the show are seen asking the minor child obscene and sexual questions on stage about his parents,” NCPCR’s notification said.
It added that the commission was of the view that all the questions asked of the minor child were “inappropriate and disturbing in nature and are not meant to be asked of children.”
The NCPCR said the network’s activities violated the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Information Technology Act, 2000 as well as the commission’s guidelines on participation of children and adolescents in the entertainment industry.
The commission, a statutory body responsible for the protection of child rights, has demanded an explanation from the media house as to why these inappropriate questions were posed to a minor at a children’s dance event. Further, they have requested that the network refrain from airing such inappropriate content on their channel and submit a detailed report on the action taken within 7 days.
Super Dancer is a children’s dance reality show judged by Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, choreographer Geeta Kapoor and Bollywood director Anurag Bose. After nationwide auditions, judges select talented dancers between the ages of 4 and 13. These dancers are paired with choreographers known as super gurus. Alongside their gurus, kids compete to become super dancers.
Super Dancer Chapter 3, which aired on Sony TV, premiered on December 29, 2018, with the grand finale on June 23, 2019.
Sony Pictures Network has yet to issue any public statement on the matter.