After removal of Pakistani dramas, Turkish shows’ future on Indian streamers uncertain; Zee5 pulls down its library of hit series, while Amazon MX Player pauses acquisition of new content
Golden Boyused to be wildly popular in India
First, Pakistani shows were removed from Indian platforms in the aftermath of the two countries’ military conflicts. Now, the rising public sentiment is that Turkish dramas should be pulled down, following Turkey’s anti-India stance. While Zee5 has already pulled the plug on its Turkish drama catalogue, multiple OTT platforms are contemplating their removal.
In the past seven-eight years, the dramas became wildly popular in India, with shows like Ertuğrul, Feriha, and Masum amassing a dedicated fan base. In light of recent events, Zee5 quietly removed Relationship Status: It’s Complicated and other series over the past week. An insider reveals, “We’ve been monitoring the sentiment for weeks. While there is no government directive, we made a business decision to avoid a potential backlash. These titles, a part of the Zindagi bouquet, were doing well in Tier-1 and -2 cities, but the risk of reputational damage outweighed the benefits.”
Amazon MX Player has a wide library that includes fan favourites like Golden Boy, Love is in the Air, Endless Love, and more. The content team at the streamer has been apparently issued an internal memo to halt acquisition of fresh Turkish content. An insider says, “We haven’t received any formal instructions or advisory from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. As of now, no content has been removed, but we have paused new acquisitions from Turkish production houses.”
Multiple YouTube channels streaming Turkish series are also reportedly facing increased scrutiny. Live Pakistan, a popular YouTube curator that streamed Resurrection: Ertuğrul, was unavailable in India since Friday noon. A source from the channel says, “We received three takedown requests in the past two days. It felt coordinated. If this escalates, more channels could disappear overnight from India.” The show remains available on another channel.
It may be noted that the Indian government has not issued any advisory regarding Turkish dramas. However, several Indian universities suspended academic ties with Turkish institutions. In the entertainment sector, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) appealed to film producers to avoid shooting in the Eurasian country (Turkey no-go for Bollywood, May 15). Another source shares, “As India strains its ties with Turkey, there will be a ripple effect in the entertainment industry. But until a formal notification is sent out by the government, the heads of OTT platforms will keep guessing and play it safe.”
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