Ziddi Girls Trailer backlash: ‘We are strengthening our film shoot policies to protect the dignity of Miranda House’

What happened
The upcoming web series Ziddi Girls is set in a fictional college – Matilda House, which is referred to as MH in the series. The series was shot at DU’s Miranda House (also popularly referred to as MH) and is helmed by Miranda alumna Shonali Bose. The recently-released trailer of the show has come under fire from the college authorities, students’ union, and alumni for its depiction of the college and its students.
Absolutely misrepresented, fume students
As the Ziddi Girls trailer starts, a voice over says, “Aaj MH mein padhai nahi, porn chalta hai.” The comments on the trailer called it a defamatory and inaccurate representation of the college. “Absolutely misrepresented... Reducing bright women of this country to such a stereotypical definition is absolutely unacceptable,” read one comment, while another said, “One of the country’s top most college students being reduced to porn watchers and men chasers. Wow! But Why?? Just to attract viewers by portraying the stereotypical viewpoint for women only colleges.” The comments also spoke about how the trailer will impact the students: “What will our parents feel after watching this series? I can’t even tell them this is my college that’s shown here. It’s like belittling myself and my college,” “Pinjra tod was such a revolutionary feminist movement but while portraying it they perpetuated all the typical “girls’ college” stereotypes.”

‘We’ve contacted the makers to take down the trailer’
While Principal Bijayalaxmi Nanda has already expressed her disapproval of the trailer, the college is now in the process of formulating policies for film shoots. Archana Kushwaha, Faculty Advisor to the Miranda House Student Union, says, “We are very disturbed after watching the trailer. She (Shonali) is a celebrated director and an alumna of the college, so we didn’t expect the college to be shown in this light. We have contacted them and written to them, but nothing concrete has come from their side. The union plans to release a statement on this matter soon.”
She adds that the union is also working on policies for film shoots to ensure they align with the college’s philosophy of inclusivity and women’s empowerment.
“While filmmakers share a concept note, they don’t provide dialogues, which is also part of their creative freedom. However, we have requested them to take down the trailer, show us the revised version, and remove any mentions of MH. Many objections have also come from our alumni. We are working on further remedial measures and strengthening all our processes to protect the dignity of women and our institution,” she says.