Apple TV+ Refuses To Act On Complaint Over 'Blasphemous' Scene In Your Friends And Neighbours

Mumbai: Apple TV+ has declined to take action on a complaint alleging that a scene in its series Your Friends and Neighbours is blasphemous to Christians, stating that the scene was intended to reinforce the flawed characterisation of the protagonists rather than to hurt religious sentiments or cause offence.

MIB Direction

The streaming platform gave the explanation in response to a direction from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to examine the grievance raised by a viewer and respond to the complainant within 15 days.

The complaint was filed on June 5 by Mumbai resident Dr Vinod Roshan D'Souza, who objected to a scene in the sixth episode of the American dark comedy series that allegedly depicts characters breaking into a church, stealing consecrated communion wafers from the tabernacle and eating them with jam as a snack.

Religious Context

D'Souza said the scene misuses the Christian sacrament of the Eucharist, in which bread, or the Host, is consecrated and distributed as Holy Communion in many churches.

Acting on the complaint, the MIB directed the producers to examine the grievance and send their response directly to the complainant, with a copy to the Ministry.

Apple's Review

In its reply dated June 29, Apple's Content Concerns team informed D'Souza that it had found no grounds to take further action after reviewing the complaint.

"The scene referenced in your complaint features the character 'Coop', whose behaviour throughout the series is characterised as deeply flawed. The series as a whole presents its principal characters, including 'Coop' and 'Mel', as morally compromised people. Their actions are portrayed critically, not approvingly, and the narrative framing makes clear they are not figures to be emulated," the company said.

Apple added that, when viewed in the full context of the series, the scene was intended to reinforce the flawed characterisation of the protagonists rather than to hurt religious sentiments or cause offence.

The company also stated that its review was limited to grievances falling within the scope of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, as they apply to Apple TV+.

The series attracted similar criticism in the United States in June 2025, when Catholic organisations called for the removal of the same scene.

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