ETV Win, the Telugu OTT platform, has addressed the controversy surrounding its latest web series AIR (All India Rankers), following online criticism over a scene perceived to promote caste-based discrimination.

The show, AIR, which focuses on the lives of intermediate students and their day-to-day struggles, was acclaimed for its relatable tone and youthful storytelling. However, a particular scene sparked backlash for depicting caste-based groupism. In the scene, a character advises juniors to align with peers from their own community for success in life. A visual cue involving the letter “C” in the background was interpreted by some viewers as referencing a specific caste, further fuelling the controversy.

Facing mounting criticism on social media, the team behind AIR responded by removing the contentious segment. Sai Krishna Koinni, head of ETV Win, released a statement via X saying, “At Ramoji Group, we are committed to respecting everyone’s sentiments and avoiding any offense. All objectionable scenes in the AIR web series have been removed. Thank you for your continued support. ETV Win consistently delivers high-quality and diverse content.”

Actor-director Sandeep Raj, of Colour Photo fame, who played a key role in the show, also issued an apology on social media. “If that particular content hurt you, I am extremely sorry for being part of it. There is no hatred, no propaganda, and no target to any particular community or religion,” he wrote, adding that the team had no intention of repeating such mistakes in the future.

“We removed that one disaster scene,” he further added, stating the project was created with passion and aimed to showcase young talent.

Although the backlash came from a segment of audiences, many of the viewers are appreciating the show for reflecting on the caste-based groupism that still exists in many colleges. AIR is the latest in a growing slate of original programming from ETV Win, following the success of Anaganaga.