The Broadcasting Content Complaints Council has asked Sony’s controversial show Pehredaar Piya Ki to go off air. The daily show aired its last episode on Friday. While Monday’s episode was not aired on television, it has been uploaded on YouTube.

According to Sony’s official statement, “Effective 28th August 2017, we are pulling off our programme, Pehredaar Piya Ki, from television. While we understand that the decision to end this serial will be disappointing to those whose creative energies are vested in it, namely, its crew and cast, we (as a channel) are convinced that we will be better served by focusing instead on developing viewer interest in our upcoming, new shows. We are grateful to all the artists, producers and fans of our shows and request you to graciously support the viewership of our newer ventures.”

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Pehredaar Piya Ki.

“It was really a shocking news for the makers and channel when BCCC sent a notice saying that the show will have to end,” a source told the Indian Express newspaper. “They had no option but to follow the orders of the ministry.”

The television show has been plagued with controversy throughout its run. Earlier, the BCCC had asked Sony to shift the show to a 10pm slot, after which the producers had also announced that the series would take a 10-year leap. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani had written to the broadcasting council to take action against Pehredaar Piya Ki after a Change.org petition demanding its cancellation received 1,30,000 signatures.

At a press conference in Mumbai, the show’s co-producer and creator, Shashi Mittal said “We haven’t portrayed anything uncomfortable in the show and do not promote child marriage.” In a previous interview with Scroll.in, Mittal had said that the series did not promote child marriage but was about a “rare bonding”.