New Delhi: Daily soap Rimjhim — Choti Umar Bada Safar on Dangal TV has come under fire for its depiction of an intimate scene between the minor lead actor and her 24-year-old partner.
The serial’s plot focuses on the romantic relationship between a teenager and an adult. The scene is shot between 16-year-old Yashika Sharma and Himanshu Awasthie, who is 24 years old.
In the scene, Sameer (Awasthie) takes off his kurta in front of Rimjhim (Sharma), pulls her close, and puts it on her after noticing her blouse has come undone. He helps fix her blouse and adjusts her veil. The scene ends with an emotional hug.
Another scene from the show left people in shock as the two actors were seen together in bed, with the camera zooming in on Rimjhim’s bareback.
In a Reddit thread, people criticised the Indian production house, Shashi Sumeet Productions.
“Don’t these people get age-appropriate actresses anymore? There aren’t any LEGAL females in the country who can act in these serials? Why are they getting minor girls for these romantic lead roles”, wrote one user.
Another user pointed out how the parents of minor actors should be more aware and mindful, and not let their children portray such inappropriate scenes.
“That’s why I hate those children’s dance shows and children singing competitions. The amount of stress the children go through, the overwork the children do, their childhood being robbed and the possibility of them neglecting their studies also. I feel for those kids,” wrote another user.
Child marriage portrayals in other TV shows
The show, which started in October 2025, is described as a “royal family saga amid palace politics, secrets, and betrayal” in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Unlike Balika Vadhu (2008-2016), a show which also featured minor actors, and even looked at the dangers of child marriage and ensuing sexual relationships, Rimjhim is not critical of the protagonist’s relationship with an adult.
Shashi Sumeet Productions have earlier faced ire for their show Pehredaar Piya Ki, which was telecast in 2017 and showed a 9-year-old boy marrying a 19-year-old. The show featured Bigg Boss 15 winner Tejasswi Prakash as the female lead. Romantic moments between two individuals shown in the daily soap didn’t go down well with the viewers and eventually resulted in an online petition against the show.
The production company, however, defended the show, and said that the petition was filed by those who have not even watched the show.