#UninstallHotstar trends as angered netizens call out 'The Empire' makers for glorifying Mughal invader Babur

Disney+Hotstar in collaboration with prolific filmmaker Nikkhil Advani of Emmay Entertainment came up with the biggest show ever created in India, 'The Empire' - a fiction saga of a warrior-turned-king. Mounted on an unrivalled scale that brings together India's finest talent, spectacular visuals, and a gripping narrative, 'The Empire' which dropped on the streaming platform on August 27, has been directed by Mitakshara Kumar and produced by Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani (Emmay Entertainment). Teh show stars Kunal Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Dhrishti Dhami in lead roles. Based on Alex Rutherford's 'Empire of the Moghul: Raiders from the North', the fictional series traces the origins of a dynasty and brings to the screen the saga of an empire from the valley of Ferghana to Samarkhand and beyond.

However, as soon as 'The Empire' dropped on Disney+ Hotstar, displeased viewers who managed to stream through the web show, accused the makers of glorifying the Islamic invader Babur. 

Apparently, when Hotstar rejected grievance complaints against the series 'The Empire', it consequently led to enraged netizens starting the Twitter trend 'Uninstall Hotstar'. 

As per media reports, the grievance officer appointed under Information Technology Rules, 2021 rejected complaints about the series stating it was not glorifying Babur. Angered social media users subsequently took to Twitter to express their displeasure at the officer refusing to lodge complaints against the web show. 

"Babur was barbaric invader. Mughal barbarism on Hindus started in the Babur’s rule continued in the likes of Jahangir,Akbar,Shah Jahan &Aurangzeb. Glorifying barbaric mughals him is tawdry insult of hindus by  @DisneyPlusHS #UninstallHotstar," wrote a Twitter user. "First they are glorifying mughals and next they are going to glorify pakistan. Delete this garbage app," wrote another. "Glorifying invader who was a demon is really sad...I think no human would associate himself/herself with Babur or any other Mughal/Afghan ruler.#UninstallHotstar," wrote yet another Twitter user. 

Check out some tweets below:

#UninstallHotstar
First they are glorifying mughals and next they are going to glorify pakistan. Delete this garbage app pic.twitter.com/cbXYPk3Gzc

— Dipesh Patil (@dipkiller729) August 27, 2021

Babur was barbaric invader.

Mughal barbarism on Hindus started in the Babur’s rule continued in the likes of Jahangir,Akbar,Shah Jahan &Aurangzeb.

Glorifying barbaric mughals him is tawdry insult of hindus by @DisneyPlusHS#UninstallHotstar pic.twitter.com/YloORwF85T

— Kanika singh (@kanika_vission) August 27, 2021

#UninstallHotstar
All Indian must understand, we can’t glorify murderer and looter in the name of secularism. Indian history should be taught as it is. Our young generation needs to know the reality of Mughals and other invader.

— UnReserved Indian (@UnReservDIndian) August 27, 2021

Those invaders who destroyed and looted India, killed Hindus, converted them in the name of their intolerant Jihad are being glorified in 2021?

Is this what we are doing?

Shame on you producers, writers, actors, etc.#UninstallHotstar pic.twitter.com/nRLqQkRXbK

— Achintya pandey (अचिन्त्य पांडेय) (@achintyaapandey) August 27, 2021

Meanwhile, Nikkhil Advani, the showrunner of 'The Empire', says it was the success and failures of the characters in Alex Rutherford's book on the Mughal empire which made him bring the story to the screen. Talking about the fear of having eyebrows raised over the tale of 'The Empire', Advani told IANS: "Of course, that is there and that is something I had thought I was doing on 'Batla House' because 'Batla House' as a subject can be interpreted from the students or from the cops. It is all about interpretation."

In the case of 'The Empire', Advani said the force field was the book.

Advani said, "For me, the force field in this case has been the book. I am following the book. If you have an objection you need to understand that as a maker and storyteller I have been fascinated by the book and by the story they have told in the book." "I love the success and failures of the characters in the book and that is why I tried to bring it to the screen," he added.