House Arrest Controversy: Why Ajaz Khan Finds Himself in Legal Trouble

Former Bigg Boss housemate Ajaz Khan has landed himself in the middle of yet another controversy - this time as the presenter of a reality show that has left many calling it one of the "most disturbing ever" broadcast in India.

The said show, House Arrest, is streamed on the Ullu app, an OTT platform that has been widely panned for overstepping its limits when it comes to adult content. What started off as a run-of-the-mill "lock-in drama" turned controversial when a viral clip of the show had contestants performing acts that many on the internet have termed as "degrading, inappropriate, and even exploitative.".

Khan, who has had run-ins with controversy before on topics that vary from communal remarks to charges of drug possession, is now facing criticism for purportedly promoting coarse behavior on the screen. Let's have a look at what actually went down and why it is significant.

House Arrest is a streaming reality show on the Ullu app, famous for its controversial and daring content. In a Bigg Boss-style format, the contestants are sealed in a fancy villa and challenged with a range of emotionally and physically challenging tasks.

The intense drama, surprising romances and anger-raging confrontations are on the menu. The participants will include Aabha Paul, Humera Shaikh, Sarika Salunkhe, Muskaan Agarwal and Rahul Bhoj.

The controversy kicked off when the viral clip from House Arrest went into cyberspace and created massive public outrage. In the video, a female contestant was expressing that she did not know about sex.

Rather than addressing the moment sensitively, host Ajaz Khan reportedly urged other contestants to act out sexual poses on camera. The contestant seemed visibly uneasy, while other members of the cast reportedly boomed applause and catcalls as some of the women shed their underwear. The episode has since been universally censured for its exploitation and degrading tone.

Public outrage over the House Arrest clip came quickly and ferociously. The audience designated the episode "disturbing," "degrading," and "unwatchable."

India at the moment has in place rules regarding OTT content under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. But now, the government is in the process of introducing fresh rules for governing content before launch.