Filmmakers Peeved by Censored Versions of Theatrical Films on OTT

Films released in theaters that then make their way to streaming services are sometimes seeing cuts and modifications, much to the chagrin of the makers who considered these as democratic media allowing free expression.

- Lata Jha

Director Shekhar Kapur recently posted on X that a censored version of his 1994 film Bandit Queen is playing on Prime Video that neither he nor the producers were aware of. However, industry experts point out that many of these movies are sold to OTT platforms by third-party distributors who have anyway edited the film after acquiring their rights from producers.

Meanwhile, streaming services that often incorporate clauses allowing edits when acquiring content increasingly want to play safe since web shows and movies have started inviting government scrutiny, leading to the tightening of restrictions for OTT.

"Prime Video has not made any edits to the version of the film Bandit Queen currently streaming on the service. The version available on Prime Video is the version provided by the film's distributor, NH Studioz," a Prime Video spokesperson said in response to Mint's queries.