Miranda House college authorities have taken legal action against the makers of Amazon Prime web series Ziddi Girls over the portrayal of the institution in the newly released trailer. The trailer (now revised) included a controversial voice-over stating, "Aaj MH mein padhai nahi, porn chalta hai," which led to strong backlash from the college administration, students, and alumni. They condemned it as a "defamatory and inaccurate representation" of the institution. The college has sent a legal notice to the show makers.
The series, set in a fictional Delhi college called Matilda House (MH), closely resembles Miranda House, one of the country's premier women's colleges. The show follows five students navigating their journey of self-discovery.
According to sources, the decision to pursue legal action was made by an eight-member committee led by Principal Prof. Bijayalaxmi Nanda, which also includes student representatives. The college expressed deep disappointment, particularly because parts of the series were filmed on campus and the director, Shonali Bose, is a celebrated alumna. They also raised concerns about the continued circulation of the objectionable trailer and the use of MH as an acronym, which is widely associated with Miranda House.
Makers releases second trailer
Following the outrage, the makers released a second trailer with a disclaimer, clarifying that the series is entirely fictional and not intended to defame any institution. “This series is a work of fiction. It’s based on a fictional institution and characters. It’s not intended to defame any person, organization, or educational institution. Viewer’s discretion is advised”.
However, Miranda House authorities remain dissatisfied, demanding that the first trailer be taken down and requesting an urgent preview of the series before its release.
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