By Reya Mehrotra
Not as well lengthy ago, more than-the-prime (OTT) platforms had been becoming touted as the next major issue. Filmmakers and audiences each flocked to OTTs to present and consume content that would hardly ever be dealt with in mainstream cinema. Be it social taboos, politics, corruption, similar-sex relationships or gender equality, the ‘no-holds-barred’ medium was a hotbed of diverse and experimental content, providing filmmakers comprehensive freedom of inventive expression.
The hold of the medium improved exponentially final year when the pandemic struck and the subsequent lockdowns kept cinema hall doors firmly shuttered. Stuck to the confines of their houses and with no other avenues of entertainment, folks across the nation logged in to OTT services like fish take to water. With even silver screen releases shifting to OTT, there was a massive surge in viewership.
The intensified focus, nonetheless, brought with it a lot of viewer scrutiny, major to eyebrows becoming raised and content becoming increasingly questioned and frowned upon. Take, for instance, the Mirzapur controversy. The crime thriller net series on Amazon Prime Video was served a Supreme Court notice for portraying the city of Mirzapur in a negative light and FIRs had been filed against the makers. Similarly, the net adaptation of author Vikram Seth’s novel A Suitable Boy (1993), which released on Netflix final year, came below the scanner for displaying a Muslim man and Hindu lady kissing in the backdrop of a temple. Sentiments had been hurt, apologies had been demanded and boycott calls had been created.
The controversy had not lengthy been laid to rest when one more one erupted. Amazon Prime Video’s net series Tandav drew viewers’ flak and ire quickly immediately after its release for ridiculing Hindu deities. Soon immediately after, the makers, as effectively as the OTT platform issued an apology, promising to delete the controversial scenes.
And now, the newest blow comes in the kind of the new government regulations, announced on February 25, which bring OTT platforms—which had been so far below the ministry of electronics and facts technologies (Meity)—under the purview of the I&B ministry. This, in turn, opens content on OTTs to censorship, which lots of are terming an assault on no cost considering and democracy. However, on March 4, a Supreme Court bench, hearing the anticipatory bail plea of Amazon Prime Video’s industrial head Aparna Purohit (against whom an FIR had been filed for hurting religious sentiments more than the Tandav row), raised issues more than the need to have for screening of shows as they in some cases showed ‘pornographic content’.
Perhaps it wouldn’t be incorrect to say that the OTT medium—once hailed as the harbinger of change—is today becoming a element of a bunch of mediums below intense scrutiny and regulation, which is a direct outcome of its reputation. All this brings us to the query: what lies ahead for OTT platforms in India? Going ahead, what will be the distinction amongst content on OTTs and the major screen?
Everyone’s medium
The most significant purpose that OTTs became a magnet for creators and actors alike was the inventive freedom provided plus the plethora of possibilities for every person. While Bollywood is usually accused of nepotism, OTTs are really inclusive. Earlier, handful of celebrities would venture to the modest screen, shying away from the medium except for reality shows. But OTTs opened the floodgates, presenting them an chance to be element of high-quality content that had a spot for every person. Many careers had been launched and relaunched. Take, for instance, Amazon Prime Video’s The Family Man. The action thriller net series starred acclaimed actor Manoj Bajpayee whose prospective, lots of say, Bollywood couldn’t completely utilise.
Calling the show a worldwide good results, Bajpayee says, “You can’t ignore OTT. I was at Cannes a couple of years back and I saw a young boy, 18-19 years old, on the red carpet. There was such a huge crowd around him. It even led to a traffic jam. People were saying they had never seen such a gathering around a red carpet event. And who was he? A French Snapchat star. That’s the power digital media has. With The Family Man, we have experienced this power… digital has invaded our lives to this extent, penetrated so deeply in every household.”
Bollywood’s favourite finds Pankaj Tripathi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui have been element of lots of profitable net series as effectively. Similarly, Saif Ali Khan has also garnered essential acclaim for his turn on OTTs. Those who have fallen brief of possibilities on the major screen have also taken the OTT route to re-establish their careers. Take, for instance, Tabu who essayed the part of Saeeda Bai in A Suitable Boy. Actor Prachi Desai, as well, has announced her OTT debut in an upcoming murder mystery. Then there is actor Jaideep Ahlawat, who was appreciated in motion pictures like Raazi, Gangs of Wasseypur, and so on, but what actually gained him recognition was his part as Delhi cop Hathi Ram Chaudhary in Amazon Prime Video’s net series Paatal Lok.
Talking about the democratic nature of OTTs, actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas had also stated at the Jaipur Literature Festival that she felt satisfied seeing so lots of writers, directors, actors and shows across languages acquiring possibilities on streaming platforms. One of these actors is Adarsh Gourav who starred with Chopra in Netflix’s original The White Tiger, which she also made. “He is a treasure. Gourav really walked into Balram’s shoes (the character he played) and worked at a tea stall to learn the nuances of the job. That’s what I want to champion,” Chopra stated in a conversation with Shobhaa De. The White Tiger was based on Aravind Adiga’s novel of the similar name, which won the 2008 Man Booker Prize. “A movie with Indian actors and based in India was trending on a global platform like Netflix. This is a huge thing. We didn’t have representation in the West, but now that is changing,” Chopra had stated.
Actor Rajesh Tailang, who has been element of Mirzapur and the Emmy Award-winning Netflix show Delhi Crime, credits OTTs for providing work to every person. “Talent is being recognised. Not just of actors, but directors and writers as well… everyone is getting a chance,” he says.
As every person lined up to have a taste of OTT good results, so did big production homes. Netflix’s 2019 series Bard of Blood, featuring new talent Shobita Dhulipala, Jaideep Ahlawat, and so on, was made by Shah Rukh Khan. Actor Anushka Sharma and brother Karnesh Ssharma also made profitable content for Amazon Prime Video (Paatal Lok) and Netflix (Bulbbul).
“The emergence of OTT has definitely presented more opportunities for talent to come forth,” says Manish Kalra, chief small business officer, ZEE5 India, an OTT platform by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. “The fact that the canvas is wider has given a lot of deserving talent the opportunity to connect with the audience. OTT does not have the pressure of the box office, which probably gives it the freedom and additional confidence to explore the various facets of storytelling,” says Kalra. “However, Indian cinema, especially over the past few years, has provided immense opportunities for budding talent and that can’t be credited just to OTT platforms,” he adds.
However, now treading cautiously, OTTs like Amazon Prime Video have decided to cancel shows that are probably to lead to controversies. New seasons of The Family Man and Paatal Lok have been cancelled, even though some shows have been postponed indefinitely. Netflix’s Bombay Begums, starring Pooja Bhatt, is below the scanner, as well, with the National Commission For Protection of Child Rights asking for it to be stopped. NCPCR alleges that it normalises casual sex and drugs for minors which is “inappropriate portrayal of children.”
Tightening the reins
After the controversy about Tandav, director Ali Abbas Zafar released a statement announcing that the controversial scenes would be dropped. The statement study, “We have utmost respect for the sentiments of the people of our country. We did not intend to hurt or offend the sentiments of any individual, caste, community, race, religion or religious beliefs or insult or outrage any institution, political party or person, living or dead. The cast & crew of Tandav have made the decision to implement the changes to the web series to address the concerns raised towards the same. We thank the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for the guidance & support in the matter. We once again apologise if the series has unintentionally hurt anybody’s sentiments.” (sic)
After the I&B ministry’s announcement of the new regulations and a week immediately after a prime Amazon Prime Video official was questioned by the UP police about Tandav hurting religious sentiments, the platform, as well, issued an apology on March 2. “Amazon Prime Video again deeply regrets that viewers considered certain scenes to be objectionable in the recently launched fictional series Tandav. This was never our intention, and the scenes that were objected to were removed or edited when they were brought to our attention,” stated the statement. It additional added that it would continue to create entertaining content with partners even though complying with Indian laws and respecting the diversity of culture and beliefs in the nation.
While motion pictures releasing in theatres need to have to have certification from the CBFC below the Cinematograph Act of 1952, content on Television follows the dos and don’ts laid down by the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act of 1995. Before the government announced the new regulations, OTTs had remained untouched by regulations and censorship.
However, the need to have for self-regulation was felt and, in February, about 17 on line streaming providers had announced the adoption of an ‘implementation toolkit’ that pressed upon self-regulation as one of its core principles below the aegis of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). However, the Centre’s announcement of the regulatory recommendations on February 25 caught the OTT sector unawares.
Though most of the new recommendations make for self-regulation norms, others—like an inter-departmental committee that will have oversight more than the self-regulatory body headed by a retired SC or HC judge or an eminent individual proposed appointment of an officer from the I&B ministry with the energy to block access to any content and a grievance redressal mechanism—are worrying OTT players. Apart from a 3-tier regulation mechanism, the Centre has also asked digital platforms to categorise content into themes like violence, nudity, sex, language, drug and substance abuse, horror, and so on. Content really should also be based on age suitability like Universal (U), U/A, 7+, 13+, 16+ and 18+ Adult (A) below the IT (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Act 2021.
After the announcement, prime executives of the on line platforms met on March 1 for the next course of action and deliberated on nominating the IAMAI as the self-regulatory body that is to be formed. The self-regulation code had been place forward to the government in September as effectively, but it was rejected as the I&B ministry felt that a third-party monitoring mechanism was lacking. Now, players are worried with the announcement of an inter-departmental committee, with the proper to block content, as the third party. However, I&B minister Prakash Javadekar, who met crucial OTT players, tweeted on March 4 that he had a ‘fruitful meeting’ and that the representatives welcomed the laws. “The Ministry and industry will partner together to make the OTT experience better for all audience,” he wrote. On March 11, immediately after one more meeting with OTTs and Digital News Publishers Association, Javadekar reinstated that the new guidelines had been welcomed by each the parties even though they also provided a handful of recommendations.
Pitching for inventive freedom, Bajpayee had stated final year in an interview to TheSpuzz on Sunday, “I would only pray that there is no censorship. I am morally opposed to banning and censorship in any form. As a citizen of the country, I want creative people to have the freedom to express their opinions in the manner in which they wish to. At the same time, I would hope that they do so responsibly. OTT will lose its charm if it comes under censorship. At this point, that’s the fear looming over every creative person. I want the OTT space to be liberating. I want filmmakers to keep flying and soaring with ideas, creating fresh experiences with each outing.”
Actor Rajesh Tailang agrees, saying that censorship really should lie in the minds of the makers and it is upon them to make accountable content. Author Prachand Praveer—who wrote the 2016 book Abhinava Cinema, an introduction to planet cinema as per the rasa theory of Indian classical aesthetics—believes in censorship of ‘worthless creations’. “Censorship should be done against idiocy and worthless creations, which is a difficult and monumental task. The important idea is to keep the artwork alive rather than to deal with propaganda, commotion, hatred,” he says.
OTT vs 70mm
When the pandemic struck and OTTs became the ‘living room’s cinema hall’, lots of wondered if the medium could threaten the multiplex small business in the lengthy run. But today, issues look hazy on that front, as it remains to be noticed how the new norms will alter OTT platforms. And with the household affairs and I&B ministries permitting the reopening of cinema halls with one hundred% capacity, time will inform if the interest of the audience remains with the newly-regulated OTTs.
But evolution is and has often been the name of the game, and this goes for OTTs as effectively. Director Nitya Mehra, whose 2016 debut Baar Baar Dekho did not fare effectively but OTT debut Made in Heaven was a blockbuster, feels that as we evolve there will often be newer issues and challenges to overcome. “When TV came, people on radio were worried. OTTs have given theatres a run for their money, but each format finds its own space. There are enough human beings on this planet to consume it all,” Mehra stated in a news interview.
Producer Tanuj Garg, who is backing Taapsee Pannu’s upcoming film Looop Lapeta, says the reopening of cinema halls would usher in the era of co-existence of the two mediums. “(We will be) back to 100% capacity for cinemas soon. Contrary to perception, I don’t believe the theatrical medium will ever pass away in #India. Time for OTT and cinemas to co-exist peacefully,” he tweeted in January.
Perhaps that is the purpose Netflix has announced 41 new Indian titles for 2021, the most significant tranche the platform has announced in one go from India. ZEE5 India’s Manish Kalra, as well, is optimistic and believes that OTTs will co-exist with theatres. “Digital platforms have helped keep the entertainment quotient high during the pandemic. We saw platforms acquiring films slated for a theatrical release, but had to release digitally.
Our strategy was focused on acquiring meaningful films and not just big-budget ones and this proved successful. We continue to see viewership on these films increasing in spite of most of them launching last year. This is another advantage of OTTs… there is a longer shelf life for content,” says Kalra.
OTT will drop its charm if it comes below censorship. At this point, that is the worry looming more than every single inventive individual
— Actor Manoj Bajpayee
Censorship really should lie in the minds of the makers… it is upon them to make accountable content
—Actor Rajesh Tailang
OTT platforms and film theatres will co-exist in the future
—Manish Kalra, chief small business officer, ZEE5 India, an OTT platform by Zee Entertainment Enterprises
Some regulation was required as, in some situations, even pornography is becoming shown on such platforms and a balance has to be maintained
— Supreme Court of India
Last year, lots of wondered if OTTs could threaten the multiplex small business. But today, issues look hazy on that front, as it remains to be noticed how the new norms will alter content on OTTs