A new upcoming web series named Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper, to be released on Thursday, July 18 on the streaming platform Netflix, has been receiving widespread backlash since its trailer was released six days ago on July 9, especially from Chartered Accountants (CAs).
Last week, on July 9, Netflix India dropped the official trailer for Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper, which shows the narrative of an accountant and a CA topper who finds himself entangled in illegal and compromising activities. The video has close to 6.5 lakh views on YouTube and 8,300 likes.
Now, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has filed a suit for permanent injunction, at the Delhi High Court (HC), for restraining Netflix from telecasting the web series which, as per them, defames the profession.
The Delhi HC is slated to hear the matter tomorrow, July 16.
The CAs have expressed that the series is "sensationalised and malicious”, containing vulgar depictions in the name of the profession.
Sharing his views, CA Lalit Solanki expressed, “CA is an esteemed profession, the backbone of the financial system. The protagonist, in the trailer, is portrayed as a CA who is involved in illegal business. So, it goes without saying that when the series is released, it would portray the profession in a bad light. Our profession is not just limited to studies or work, they teach us ethics, professional scepticism, and other values. This web series is giving an absolutely wrong impression about the profession.”
An online petition was also started by CA Sripriya Kumar on Saturday, July 13, expressing concern about the portrayal of the profession of Chartered Accountancy in the upcoming Netflix series. This petition has received over 5,000 signatures so far.
On July 10, a day after Netflix India released the official trailer of the controversial web series, CA (Dr) Rohit Ruwatia Agarwal, Chairman of the Committee for Members in Practice (CMP) at ICAI, announced the potential legal action against the streaming platform and creators of the web series.
“Such kinds of things are not at all acceptable. Institute has a zero tolerance policy for the defamation caused. I again urge the professionals that whenever you find any such thing over social media, bring to the attention of the institute or mail to the leadership & council rather than floating more on social media, it is indirectly against causing more defamation,” he said on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Today, on July 15, he again took to X announcing that the ICAI advocate has filed an urgent appeal in Delhi HC for restraining Netflix from telecasting the web series.
The web series, which is to be released in just three days, is by renowned Director and Producer Puneet Krishna, the co-creator of the popular TV show Mirzapur, and co-Director Amrit Raj Gupta. Actor Manav Kaul, of Tumhari Sulu and Ghoul fame, stars as protagonist Tribhuvan Mishra.
Speaking to EdexLive, Chartered Accountant Akhil Pachori, opined, “If you look at the trailer of that particular TV series, you will realise where the problem is. They are using a CA topper in their title and then using vulgar content, disregarding the profession. That is why an urgent hearing has been called by the ICAI for a permanent injunction.”
