'Tandav is a work of fiction, it's a piece of entertainment first': Sunil Grover

Sunil Grover has insisted that Tandav is a work of fiction, and that it was shot before many of the incidents it shows transpired in real life.

Actor Sunil Grover has said that Tandav is a work of fiction, and that it was shot before many of the incidents shown in the series had happened in real life. Tandav, a political drama starring Saif Ali Khan, released on Amazon Prime Video recently, and has been at the centre of a controversy surrounding its content.

Sunil Grover, Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia in Tandav.

Sunil, who plays an enforcer named Gurpal Chauhan, said in an interview that because India is a democracy, people actively discuss politics.

Asked about the show's stance on current affairs, he told Bollywood Hungama, "First of all, this is a work of fiction. Politics, of course, is always a topic of conversation in our country."

He added, "The show was shot last year, so a lot of things in it hadn't happened yet in real life. But they happened later. We discuss politics at home, it's a part of our lives. Because we live in a democracy, people actively participate in discussions around politics, and they'll relate to the show."

Several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have raised issues against Tandav. One of them, Manoj Kotak, wrote to I&B minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday seeking a ban on the series for allegedly ridiculing Hindu deities. Another party leader, Ram Kadam, on Sunday said that he has filed a complaint at Mumbai's Ghatkopar Police station. "Strict against should be taken against the actor, director and producer of the web series," Kadam said, according to ANI.