Should OTT Platforms Be Censored? Directors, Producers, Actors, Comedians Tell Us

The OTT boom in India, kicked off by Netflix in the last decade, has given Indian audiences a sea of choices. Prime Video, Sony LIV, Jio, ZEE5, Disney+ Hotstar, Voot, Alt Balaji, and many others have not only introduced previously unheard-of talents but also exposed us to a vast range of content.

As expected from creative platforms, several controversies have followed. Religion and politics, age-old sources of protest, remain at the forefront. While a few protests may be justified, many are not, often stemming from our increasing sensitivity.

So, should OTT platforms be censored? This debate resurfaces time and again. The most recent instance involves IC-814, but the list is long — Tandav, Sacred Games, A Suitable Boy, to name a few. It seems this debate, like the list, will keep coming back. To gain insight, we asked some industry experts to weigh in.

Here’s what they had to say:

Sanjay Khanduri, (Producer/Director), (Ek Chalis Ki Last Local, Hostages, Gumrah): “Yes, they should be. OTT has replaced cable TV in urban India and is accessible to kids through their parents’ subscriptions. Young children are watching Insidious and Bollywood’s Animal during sleepovers at friends’ houses with access to OTT. In every urban household, children need to be protected as a moral duty”

Navjot Gulati, (Writer/Director), (Industry, Badtameez Dil): “I don’t think there should be any censorship. What we need is the right certification. Whether it’s PG, UA, A, or R, content should be rated and left to the audience’s discretion.”

Sidharth Jain, (Producer), (The Story Ink): “I transitioned from films to OTT, so we’ve always dealt with film censorship as creators and producers. In a diverse country like India, where we have freedom of speech, we also have the freedom to be offended. My suggestion is that, instead of censorship on OTT, we establish clear guidelines for self-censorship and form an advisory trade committee from the Producers Guild to guide filmmakers in case of any doubts.”

Cyrus Broacha, (Comedian): “I think they should be censored in such a way that any children appearing should be removed from all shows. They’re driving me nuts. Anything under the age of 14 should not be seen. They can just put a diagram, an illustration, or an arrow pointing to ‘kid here.’ Animals are fine. I’m fine with erotica, no issues. Being politically incorrect? Absolutely fine. Discussing social issues from various perspectives is good. War? No problem. Sexism and all the other ‘isms’ — I’m balanced when it comes to all that. But kids, please! Too many kids on OTT — do something about that!”

Radhika Vaz, (Comedian): “My old refrain: Censorship is the beginning of the end of creativity. For a country with such an ancient artistic tradition, it’s a terrible regression.”