CMV pulls down ‘Ghotona Sotto’ facing backlash

Record label and production house Central Music & Video (CMV) removed a drama, titled ‘Ghotona Sotto’, from their YouTube channel Sunday, following strong objections from viewers that the drama carries a hateful message against specially-abled children and parents.

Directed by Rubel Hasan and starring one of the hit pairs of the small screen, Afran Nisho and Mehazabien Chowdhury, CMV published the drama on YouTube Saturday and afterwards took it down the next day.

In a press release issued Sunday, CMV apologised for the drama and said that publishing such a content “inadvertently” was “totally unexpected.” “We have taken down the content the moment we received the first message.”

In the drama, Nisho and Mehazabien played the roles of a housemaid and a driver respectively who live in adjoining buildings. In one of the last scenes, the drama has a dialogue saying, “Physically challenged children are the result (of the parents’) sin” that immediately provoked the audience.

Netizens expressed their concerns after taking the social media by storm soon after the drama was uploaded on YouTube by CMV Saturday.

“To our beloved audience, on behalf of the director, artistes and entire cast and crew we feel deeply sorry and have complete realisation as well as full support for those who have reached out to us regarding our drama production ‘Ghotona Shotto,’” CMV said in the press release Sunday.

Director Rubel Hasan, cast Afran Nisho and Mehazabien Chowdhury also felt sorry for being part of such an item that conveyed a very hurtful message. They offered a public apology in separate Facebook posts.

“We would like to send our love, support and apologies to every parent and child with special needs and promise to make contents in future that spreads the right message and directs the audience towards the right path,” read the posts.

CMV further said in the press release that they will make the much-needed corrections to the content.