7 DEADLY SINS? CONTROVERSIES THAT ROCKED THE OTT WORLD

In 2023, the world of streaming wasn't merely a realm of captivating narratives and bingeworthy shows it also saw debates sparked around depiction of intimacy, the arrival of antismoking warnings, among other issues

- Sugandha Rawal

HOW THE DEBATE OVER OTT CENSORSHIP RAGED The censorship debate was in the spotlight throughout 2023, with bold content in web projects sparking conversations. In fact, this year, the government reissued its warning to OTT platforms against vulgarity and abusive language in their content, with Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur saying that the government would prefer that services adopt and follow the policy of self-regulation.

GANDII BAAT 6 STIRS ROW FOR ALLEGEDLY MOCKING GODDESS LAKSHMI Social media users sought a ban on the adult comedy web series, citing an allusion to Goddess Lakshmi on its poster where a scantily clad woman is seen posing seated on a lotus and with peacocks flanking her. Producer Ekta Kapoor also faced backlash for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

BIGG BOSS LIP-LOCK Akanksha Puri and Jad Hadid's kiss on Bigg Boss OTT 2 created quite a lot of buzz, with actor-host Salman Khan slamming the contestants, too. The pair had locked lips as a 'dare' given to them by another team. However, the act did not go down well with viewers and even former contestants, who came out and called out the makers for not editing it out.

MADE IN HEAVEN: CREDIT ROW The second season of the web series was mired in controversy after Dalit author Yashica Dutt accused the makers of not crediting her life and memoir for an episode of the show. However, the makers denied the allegations. In another instance, fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani slammed the show's team, accusing them of 'breach of faith' and attributing his designs used in the show to a fictitious label.