New Delhi: Online streaming platform SonyLIV faced severe backlash on social media platforms Friday over a promotional gimmick for its new series called Undekhi.
The channel allegedly made pre-recorded and frantic calls to a number of people in an attempt to promote the series.
Those who received these calls wrote on social media how a caller named Rishi told them he had witnessed a murder, that was recorded on his phone, and the murderers were after him. Towards the end of the call, he revealed that it was a promotional bid for SonyLIV’s new crime show.
Twitter user Suvrata Bhati slammed the channel for creating panic and being insensitive.
“Do you even realise what this can cause to a person if they miss out the last few words in panic. Get a better way to promote your series,” Bhati tweeted.
What a ridiculous #promotional call trick by #Undekhi #SonyLIV Do U even realise what this can cause to a person if they miss out the last few words in panic. Get a better way to promote your series #webseries #advertisement #ScamAlert #murdercall #unethical #worldpremiereseries pic.twitter.com/8CzUhTkVti
— Suvrata Bhati (@BhatiSuvrata) July 10, 2020
Another Twitter user, Sneha Bajpai, shared her ordeal and said she was trembling after the call got over because she thought it was her friend ‘Rishi’ who was at the other end.
She called it a “sick”, “insensitive” and “ridiculous” act by the channel.
I tht a friend nameRishi called as my father is an ex police and he is already going through a lot. I am shaking already going through a lot due to covid i am still trembling my heart is pounding who is responsible if a life is lost due to your sick promotional activity #SonyLIV
— Sneha Bajpai (@SnehaBajpai6) July 10, 2020
Artistic Director Smriti Kiran even tagged Mumbai Police on her tweet regarding the call.
Got a very disturbing call from this number +91 140 880 0135 @MumbaiPolice…The gentleman said he has witnessed a murder. Has recorded it on his phone & now those people want to kill him. He hung up after that. He was crying & quavering while speaking. Please look into this.
— smriti kiran (@smritikiran) July 10, 2020
Content creator Rohini Ramnathan told ThePrint, “I got the call around 2.30 pm Friday. Though I figured later that it was an automated call, one can’t really know before answering it. The call has been recorded in a way that it imitates a real person. Calling up people and telling ‘I have seen a murder and I made a video, now they want to kill me’, can trigger reactions in them. What if someone’s friend or relative is named Rishi? This is a very unusual time…People are anyway very stressed.”
Hey @SonyLIV – how dare you stoop so low and make actors/recordings call you saying 'I've just seen a murder, I'm in danger' ?? I waited to figure the CTA – which was 'watch your damn show' but it's a mental health hazard, can cause anxiety and panic to anyone. It's UNETHICAL.
— Rohini Ramnathan (@rotalks) July 10, 2020
Sacred Games actor Rajshri Deshpande, who had also received the call, told ThePrint, “I was shocked and completely clueless. I thought probably someone who needs genuine help is calling since I run an NGO. I get calls from villages…so I thought it’s related to some incident. I was taken aback when I heard the last promotional bit.”
Deshpande runs the NGO Nabhangan Foundation.
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‘Calls went out accidentally’
Following the huge backlash, SonyLIV tweeted an apology later in the day.
“If you have received a call for our show Undekhi & it has disturbed you we would like to sincerely apologise to you. This was a test activity which has gone out accidentally & our intention was not to cause any kind of discomfort or panic. We sincerely regret any inconvenience,” the channel posted.
If you have received a call for our show Undekhi & it has disturbed you we would like to sincerely apologise to you. This was a test activity which has gone out accidentally & our intention was not to cause any kind of discomfort or panic. We sincerely regret any inconvenience.
— SonyLIV (@SonyLIV) July 10, 2020
ThePrint tried to get in touch, through text messages and calls, with the channel’s Marketing Head Aman Srivastava but he couldn’t be contacted till the publication of this report.
In an email left to the channel’s PR team, only the tweet text was sent as a reply.
On the channel’s apology tweet, actor Deshpande, however, said, “Why do we have to always point it out? Aren’t they aware of the situation already?”
Ramnathan similarly said, “They can’t tell this is accidental? It’s a lie. How do you produce such a thing and why? I am just wondering what if my mother had picked the call and she missed the last bit? Won’t she start panicking? At least start with a disclaimer that it is an ad.”
This isn’t the first time that an incident like this has happened. In Oct 2018, in a similar case of marketing strategy, makers of the film Pihu tried promoting it with prank calls to people.
Many had then complained of getting a phone call from a crying child. When the receivers called back on the number, they got a message with a link to help the child, which in turn directed them to the movie’s trailer.
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