Netflix joins other OTT platforms, stops global streaming of uncut Indian films

While debates surrounding the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) purportedly unjust censorship of movies intensify, another, possibly the last, streaming platform has completely halted the streaming of uncensored versions of Indian films globally.

As per a report by The Hindu, which it claims to have created after a review of many films released this year, Netflix has now joined the ranks of OTT platforms that discontinued showing versions of Indian films before obtaining CBFC approval.

According to the report, Anubhav Sinha’s Bheed, Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Leo and Amit Rai’s OMG 2 were among the movies that faced cuts at junctures depicting or addressing political, communal or adult themes.

While other streaming platforms have been following this practice for some time, with few exceptions for specific titles, Netflix’s adoption of this approach effectively grants the CBFC indirect control over what Indians watch in films, even online.

Although Netflix refrained from responding to queries about its changing censorship practices, the streaming service told The Hindu in a statement, “We have an incredibly broad range of Indian original films and TV shows, all of which speak to our long-standing support for creative expression. This diversity not only reflects our members’ very different tastes, it also distinguishes our service from the competition.”

Earlier this year, veteran actor Govind Namdev had condemned the A certificate that was given to OMG 2 by the CBFC. Govind, in a Facebook post, said that the movie had to undergo 24 cuts and eventually got a “senseless A certificate”, thus, it could not be watched by teenagers who were the target audience of the film. Indian Express