Sony TV UK cleared by Ofcom over ‘Pehredaar Piya Ki’ controversy

After a year since it was last on-air, media regulator, Ofcom has concluded its investigation in two complaints it received about Sony TV’s fiction ‘Pehredaar Piya Ki’.

The show had been accused of glorifying child marriages. The central premise of the series was a marriage between Diya, an 18-year old woman, and Ratan Maan Singh, a nine-year-old prince. The reason for the marriage was that Ratan needed protection from his family, who wanted to kill him and claim his inheritance.

As a part of its investigation, Ofcom translated and viewed 31 episodes of the series and its investigation focused on three episodes.

In response, Sony TV UK explained that the premise of the series revolved around the protection of a young prince and heir to a royal dynasty against death threats from his family. A woman, named Diya, is “forced by circumstances” to take steps to protect the nine-year-old boy. The child’s father, on his death bed, pleads with Diya to marry the child, as he considered marriage to be the only relationship that would completely protect his son. Diya, who owes her life to the child’s father, agrees to marry him and become the child’s “protector”.

It stated that the content included in the series did not glorify or encourage child marriage. It added that the series “sensitively” portrayed Diya’s “difficult journey through a unique marriage” and its depiction did not have “sexual or vulgar” connotations.

Sony TV UK stated that it had always ensured that content broadcast on Sony Entertainment Television was compliant with the Code. It said that a clear and unambiguous disclaimer was prominently shown at the start of each episode of the series stating that it was “entirely fictitious” and that the channel did not promote or support child marriage. It added that the description of the relationship as an “unusual eternal love story” in the disclaimer was included to provide context to viewers.

Concluding its results, Ofcom cleared Sony TV. It was not found in breach of Rule 2.3 of the Code.