As though CBFC’s censorship isn’t stringent enough, OTT platforms further alter acquired content before their web premiere; Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light that runs 30-seconds shorter on Disney+ Hotstar is the latest case in point
Kani Kusruti (L) and Divya Prabha in All We Imagine as Light
The autonomy that web platforms exercise while censoring shows became evident in May 2024, when Jio Cinema dropped from its platform a 2019 episode by British comedian John Oliver that revolved around Indian elections. In the latest case of self-censorship, select scenes of Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light were altered for its digital release on Disney+ Hotstar. Interestingly, additional disclaimers relating to the consumption of cigarettes and alcohol have also been added to the OTT draft.
ADVERTISEMENT
A source tells mid-day, “About 30 seconds of the film has been trimmed, but none of the key scenes have been tampered with. Even a contentious scene involving frontal nudity has been left untouched. With that said, at a later point in the film, when the characters are seen drinking, a disclaimer has been added. This wasn’t in accordance with the recommendation of the CBFC but an additional [call] taken by the platform.”
While the web platform didn’t respond to our query till press time, an insider from Hotstar shared, “The norm is to upload what’s given to us. Rarely are revisions or changes made. But, when there is an S&P [standards and practices, terms networks use to self-regulate content], we abide by it. The platform is liable for what it shows, so a legal clearance is due on both original and acquired content.”
Kapadia’s film, which has gone on to earn multiple awards across festivals upon its September 21, 2024, release, and even bagged two nominations at the recently concluded Golden Globes, isn’t the only film that has been tampered with. The 2012 gangster drama Gangs of Wasseypur, which is available on Jio Cinema, is presented with a version that does not include cuss words. “The death scene of a character has been censored, and anything alluding to sex has been trimmed. Since the film is open to all ages, it is protocol to make it suitable for viewers,” said a platform insider of the crime drama that includes abusive language and violence in abundance. As for Kamal Haasan’s Vikram, which a CBFC certificate states has a runtime of 174.24 minutes, runs two minutes shorter on Disney + Hotstar. “Some brutal scenes have been edited out,” says a source.
Mid-day reached out to Kapadia, but she was unavailable for a comment till press time.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
