Nepali comedian and YouTuber Pranesh Gautam, who was kept into police custody has been released in general date on Friday. Director and producer Milan Chams filed a case against Meme Nepal at Metropolitan Police Crime Division, Teku alleging the presenter (Gautam) of defaming his film and the actors’ reputation in the review, under violation of Electronic Transaction Act.
Gautam was arrested on June 7. The video was released on May 22 which got viral. To speak on this issue, MyCity in collaboration with Radio Nagarik 96.5 organized ‘City Talks’, where Director Rose Rana, Lawyer/ Journalist Ananta Luintel, Film Critic/Scriptwriter Samipya Timalsina, Comedian Aayush Shrestha and student/Meme generator Rishab Sharma presented their views on Gautam’s case.
Speaking about Meme Nepal’s video Ayush said, “Meme Nepal makes such video to entertain the audience and the purpose was to create fun. However, the producer misused authority and dragged Gautam behind the bars.”
Youth demand comedian Pranesh Gautam's Release
The show was moderated by RJ Presa Shrestha. In the show, Ayush stated that they had taken permission from filmmakers before publishing the video. He shared, “We had already told that the review contains criticism, satire, and negative comments where they gave us permission as well. Then we have a disclaimer for the video too.”
Meanwhile, General Secretary of Nepali Film Producers Association, Rose Rana said, “Pranesh is being punished for a small mistake which would have been solved on table talk. The issue came to us a bit late which was out of the association’s hand.”
Rose shared that Chams informed the association after filing the case against Gautam. Rose added that the case was not filed for review, instead, the case was filed for offensive words and racial slur and other unusual behaviors like the use of weapons. The discussion further analyzed about press freedom and freedom to speech, Electronic Transaction Act and more.
