Censorship on OTT: Curbing creativity or promoting sentiment? Celebrities arguing

How far is too far and how much freedom is too much freedom? There are no speed breakers or U-turns in our journey of watching content online. It all depends on how much we pay and when we press that button on our remote control. The term ‘The world at your fingertips’ has never seemed more real.

So is this world corrupting us? Are we putting too much control in the hands of creators in the name of freedom? Or do we enjoy what the world has to offer us digitally? Are we ready to explore and accept without questioning the world of exaggerated content on various platforms, especially in India where even the common family practices a form of self-censorship?

India Today digital spoke to many members of the film industry, including writers, creators and artists, to understand whether we need some form of government control over OTT content. This means setting guidelines, limiting creative freedom, and being able to accept changes when you’re told ‘no’. But it also means a safer space for children and an emphasis on audience sensitivity rather than creative freedom. Which way is the right way?

Actor Deepak Dobriyal, who recently starred in the Netflix movie Sector 36, thinks it is too early to censor content on OTT, a platform that has recently found a place among the audience. In his opinion, this is the best time for creators, artists and audiences alike to let their creative juices flow, and censorship will only end that experience.

“OTT is the most independent field today”

Talking to us in an exclusive interview, he said: “No, no. It’s not possible. Artists like me are just starting to get good work. OTT has given us a great space to explore our craft and make our own choices. Such conversations look good on paper but please Don’t act on them. This is where we find creative freedom as artists today.”

Deepak played a cop in Sector 36, which also featured Vikrant Massey as a serial killer. Although the film was appreciated for its story and solid performances, it was considered bloody and disturbing. He admits that the censor board would not allow the film to be released in theaters without any interruptions and they could only allow the film to be released without any problems on the OTT platform.

He continued, “Did you censor me? (They even censored people all over the world). Everything is censored. I believe OTT is the biggest platform for expressing ourselves today. You cannot censor this area. You can probably consider specific ratings that will help viewers decide whether a particular piece of content is suitable for viewing. At the end of the day it should come down to your choice. If you want, you will watch something on the OTT platform, otherwise you will press the button on your remote and move on to something else.”

“Is it possible to censor everything online?”

Another question that Deepak rightly highlights is about the feasibility of OTT censorship. How much longer can you keep censoring tons of growing content every day? Despite the creation of multiple bodies, is it possible to monitor and censor everything that is available online from anywhere in the world?

Deepak explains: “There is so much to watch on OTT, how can you censor everything? How long will you keep censoring? There is a ton of material available.” Jo nahi dekhna, vahi kyu dekhna hai tumhe (Why would you want to watch something that wasn’t intended for you to watch in the first place)? It’s very simple, skip it if you find anything disturbing. I believe even the audience does not want censorship on OTT. “I don’t think that’s possible either.”

But actor Gippy Grewal, a respected Punjabi superstar, believes some control is necessary. “Censorship should exist everywhere, in all forms of media – news media, social media, OTT, movies. I’ll tell you why. What if someone is producing action-based content and showing decapitated bodies? That kind of violence and brutality is objectionable. Children and “It should be censored to prevent sensitive people from seeing it.”

“How about exposing children to obscenity on the internet?”

He talks about censorship not just on OTT content but everywhere in digital media. Gippy explains: “We’re scrolling through social media and suddenly find a video of an accident that hasn’t been blurred or censored. How fair is that? Why am I seeing this video uncensored? There are podcasts that go viral on the internet, and some are so vulgar that people are so ridiculous “They create deviant stories, which I definitely don’t want my children to be exposed to.”

The actor states that as Indians, we cannot ignore the values ​​we grew up with and that censorship is necessary to protect the sanctity of our culture and these values. “I’m not just censoring films, it needs to be viewed from a 360-degree perspective. There is so much content on the internet. At least in India, because we are different, our values ​​make us different from the rest of the world.” “As we grow up in a digital culture, we should not be subject to any form of insensitivity,” he adds.

Some believe that accepting the idea of ​​censorship means taking away your own agency as adults and educated people. According to director Aditya Nimbalkar, who made Sector 36, a movie about crimes against children, on Netflix, having a specific form of categorization will better help in making the right choices.

He completely ignores the idea that as a creative filmmaker he would welcome any form of censorship on OTT. In fact, platforms and producers say that there is no need for any interruptions or changes while defining their content according to age and quality of content.

“Adults can make their own choices”

“I think this should not happen. They already share age warnings on OTT platforms. People who are underage should not watch anything that is not suitable for them. If there is a content that falls under the category of adult content, or sensitive content, then you need to make your choice accordingly. If you belong to that age group If you’re not, or you’re not in that mental space, they already say it’s not for you. Adults can decide what they watch and what they don’t. I don’t think there should be any censorship for watching, yes, but there’s no censorship either.”

Does this mean that we have abdicated our responsibility as audiences and producers in India? There are creators who pay utmost attention to how far they can go without compromising their creativity but also ensuring the emotional safety of the audience. What about those who act selfishly and ignore even the basic rules of content creation?

Writer Sneha Desai, whose film Laapataa Ladies is India’s official entry to the Oscars this year, emphasizes finding the right balance. Directed by Kiran Rao, his film gained a new lease of life when it was released on Netflix, leading to even wider acceptance and celebration of the story.

“We must value the diversity of people in India”

He talks about a solution and says: “Ideally, any form of censorship is restrictive, but given the diversity of people in India and issues affecting their sensitivities, I would welcome age-based audience certifications.”

Sneha adds that there is a reason why rules and guidelines are made everywhere, even if it means acting according to self-imposed rules. The author shares, “Any form of free expression comes with its own sharing of views, and in times of mushrooming of digital content, the onus must be on stakeholders to act with measured restrictions and follow the guidelines set. No. We like rules, but not everyone follows the guidelines. So, if there is a need for freedom of expression If there is, we must learn to use it responsibly.”

The idea seems simple: you create what you want to create, but don’t forget who you’re creating it for. If you want people to watch what you offer them, you have to act responsibly. And if we’re not ready for censorship on OTT, we probably need to be more conscious of what we’re prepared to watch and reject. It’s about truly taking responsibility for the content we expose ourselves, our children, and our families to.

It’s like swimming in a vast ocean where we have to tread carefully if we don’t want others to pay attention to us.