Smartphone availability, low-cost 4G data, and increased high-bandwidth internet penetration have expanded the scope of the internet economy for OTTs (Over the Tops). Every app is developing an internet streaming service, with the majority of them producing unique content. With the vernacularization of OTTs, consumption has expanded even more. Furthermore, as a result of the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, Indians’ average time spent on OTTs has increased by 40-60% since March 2020. They have dominated every other media channel and are gaining traction even in the most distant locations. (This is especially true in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.)
So how is this happening?
Without a doubt, OTTs have significant advantages over traditional media. OTT content has been consumed by media savvy people in India since its inception, when it was mostly in English. People are becoming more attentive of content. Traffic has increased as a result of vernacularization and the ongoing expansion of social media and online marketing. People are drawn to reach out when they can access content on the go. Finding a niche is no longer difficult. Binge-watching is a popular pastime among millennials and Generation Z. OTTs have been performing well, but with the closure of cinemas, it has seen a significant increase in viewership.
OTTs are not censored
The traditional censor board for films is the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), a statutory film-certification agency in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC), an independent self-regulatory agency established by the Indian Broadcasting Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, oversees the content that is broadcast on television. However, OTT services remain entirely uncensored, which is still a source of contention. The Supreme Court was summoned earlier this year after the Delhi High Court sought censorship and licencing of OTT providers. The government lacks the authority to censor internet information.
No censorship promotes creative liberty and facilitates the incorporation of more ideas. It also allows authors, directors, and producers to try new things. On their displays, people may view reality as it is. The language gets less formal. Visuals and speech become more realistic and approachable using common language. However, this artistic independence with no checks and balances is frequently abused for commercial gain.
Indian OTTs: Violence and Nudity
Everything that sells better gets produced more in a large market-driven setup. Indian content creators for several OTTs have primarily focused on a few categories. Many indigenous shows are labelled as Crime, Mystery, Thriller, or Drama. Drama is a benign term that encompasses practically anything – for euphemism – including erotica, fantasy, and soft porn.
To satisfy the adrenaline rush of consumers, particularly youngsters, video OTT material is rife with explicit scenes and adult themes. R-rated content dominates online streaming media. Although gaining access for teenagers is not difficult. Because everything is shown unfiltered, graphic sights and vulgarity are common. Aside from that, other platforms, such as Fliz, HotShots Digital Entertainment, Ullu, and others, cater to 18+ consumers. These venues mostly cater to males looking for stories in porn and stories in porn. As a result, kids can locate easy soft porn content with swearing on various channels.
‘Sacred Games’ was Netflix’s first Indian Original. There was a lot of violence, gore, and nudity. ‘Mirzapur’ on Amazon Prime maintained the trend. The incident in which Bablu Pandit vomited after Guddu fired multiple rounds into a man’s stomach, causing his intestines to come out, was exceedingly raw and terrible. Beena Tripathi did something similar when she severed her housekeeper’s penis and forced him to have pressured intercourse with his father-in-law. The recent ‘Paatal Lok’ has carried on the same legacy. Hathoda Tyagi was hammering his victims’ heads open, resulting in gratuitous slaughter from an open head. They also depicted the inciting rape of tiny Cheeni by Shaakal, a paedophile rickshaw driver, disregarding all artistic ethics and morality.
These few examples are merely a drop in the ocean. On such shows, sexual violence, objectification of women, brutalization of female characters, rapes, and male gaze all take up a significant amount of screentime. OTTs place a high value on violence, bloodshed, and cruelty.
Violence, sex, and vulgarity all sell in the Indian OTT market, satisfying the desires of the majority of the youthful people. Erotica has become the selling formula for OTTs, thanks to on-demand videos and individual viewing. Gandi Baat, Ragini MMS Returns, Charmsukh, XXX Uncensored, Fuh Se Fantasy, Charitraheen, and Mastram are just a few examples of similar content. Stories are built around sex and feature haphazard characters, uninvited sexual desires, and extreme graphic nudity. The designers’ liberal, “progressive,” and supposedly western perspective clashes with traditional Indian culture, causing widespread public unease. (mostly to baby boomers and Generation X)
OTTs have a bright future in India, thanks to increased connectivity and technological innovation. Before it is hegemonicized by sex and violence, it must be directed in the appropriate direction. It is past time for digital streaming platforms to establish an effective self-censorship module that allows them to maintain their artistic integrity while also preserving a certain level of decency and ethics. It is time to practise self-control and address the questions, “How much is too much, and is it really necessary?”