As Prasar Bharati readies its own OTT platform and the MI&B hints at Bollywood takeover of IFFI, filmmakers and critics fear it would entail the sacrifice of cultural diversity, socialist roots
The 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), set to open in Goa on November 20, comes with a slate of additional features that signal a ‘metamorphosis’ of the Indian entertainment ecosystem in the days to come. Sanjay Jaju, Secretary to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MI&B), hinted at this impending transformation through two major announcements. The first outlines a shift toward greater involvement of the film industry; he has spoken about handing over the festival to the film industry and it is obvious that by ‘industry’ he means the Hindi film industry, quintessentially Bollywood. The second announcement was about Prasar Bharati’s plans to launch its own OTT platform on November 20, which highlights the broadcaster’s ambition to compete in the digital streaming space.
Both moves by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MI&B) did not surprise connoisseurs of films, filmmakers, and cinema academicians in Karnataka, as many had anticipated the development following the merger of the Film Division, Directorate of Film Festivals, National Film Archives of India, and Children’s Film Society with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in January 2023. The merger was aimed at “reducing the overlap of various activities and ensuring better utilisation of public resources.”
Sacrificing the essential character of IFFI
Over the last few years, the acclaimed IFFI has lost its sheen, and now, to make matters worse, it is being privatised under the guise of handing over the festival to the industry,” says a new-age Kannada filmmaker who wishes to remain anonymous. "Handing over the festival to the industry by the MI&B, which is currently organising IFFI in collaboration with the NFDC, is nothing but a sacrifice of the essential character of IFFI. Founded in 1952, the festival was aimed at providing a common platform for the cinemas of the world to showcase the excellence of film art, contributing to the understanding and appreciation of different film cultures in the context of social and cultural ethos, and promoting friendship and cooperation among people worldwide. This move also undermines the festival’s commitment to embracing the country’s rich and diverse cultural and social ethos," he said.
Saffronised selection process for films
He is sceptical about the future of the OTT platform which will be launched on November 20 under the same premise. “Considering the selection of films at festivals organised in the country under the banner of MI&B, do you think there is any chance that films with voices of dissent will make it through the saffronised selection process?” he asked. The moot question is: What forced Prasar Bharati to launch its own OTT platform? Is it inspired by the Kerala government’s experiment? It appears so.
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To break the monopoly of existing OTT platforms, a few state governments have mustered the courage to launch their own government-run OTT platforms. The Kerala government, for instance, launched the country’s first-ever government-owned OTT streaming service in March 2024. Managed by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC), the initiative aims to support films with cultural and artistic value. KSFDC named its streaming platform ‘CSpace.’
After Kerala, Meghalaya and Karnataka join the OTT race
Following Kerala’s lead, Meghalaya launched its government-run OTT platform, ‘Hallow Meghalaya,’ on July 12. The platform is dedicated to promoting and preserving local languages and dialects. Meanwhile, Karnataka, one of India’s largest film-producing states, also announced plans to join the OTT space. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declared the government’s intention to roll out the state-owned platform, ‘Namma Chalanachitra.’ However, the project remains in limbo, as the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, responsible for the platform’s conception, is sleeping over the project.
It appears that Prasar Bharati had been preparing for its own OTT launch long before the official announcement. Initially slated for September 15, the launch date was postponed twice — first to October 3 and now set for November 20. Inspired by Kerala’s experiment, the Union Government has designed its OTT service with a focus on “clean content that promotes Indian culture and values”. Sources from MI&B revealed that Prasar Bharati plans to air free content for the first couple of years before eventually competing with streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+ Hotstar. To ensure high-quality cultural programming, Prasar Bharati has collaborated with renowned content creators. On September 23, Prasar Bharati released a draft contract detailing how the OTT platform should be built, run and maintained.
What to expect from Prasar Bharati’s OTT
According to Sanjay Jaju, the government-run platform will offer viewers exclusive content unavailable on other streaming services, making it a potential “game-changer” in India’s digital ecosystem. Additionally, the service will provide live-streamed channels, with plans for integration with DD Free Dish, Prasar Bharati’s free satellite service. With close to 60 entertainment channels on DD Free Dish, this integration could give Prasar Bharati OTT service a competitive edge, merging live broadcasts with on-demand content.
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Scepticism in the film community
Most filmmakers and film academicians are sceptical about the outcome of Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, especially given the government’s recent decisions, like merging film institutions under the NFDC and its attempts to privatise IFFI. N. Vidyashankar, Artistic Director of the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes), expressed doubts: “The concept looks interesting, but will it maintain the socialist, federalist character of earlier film-related institutions of the country and promote Unity in Diversity — the idea that people from different cultures, religions, castes and sects should live together in peace and harmony. I am a bit sceptical about it, considering the present dispensation’s ‘business-revenue earning’ model”. Vidyashankar, a regular attendee at various international film festivals, is upset with the way film festivals turn out to be platforms for promoting ‘mono-culturalism’. He also questions whether the Prasar Bharati OTT can truly compete with established streaming giants that monopolise the market.
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Revive previous Doordarshan model: Girish Kasaravalli
Renowned filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli echoed these apprehensions. “If the real intention of Prasar Bharati is to make this OTT platform a composite structure, protecting the ideals of socialism and federalism, besides representing cultural diversity of the land, without compromising with the secular credentials, the move is really appreciable. But such possibility is bleak as the present political dispensation at the Centre is looking at a ‘self-sustaining’ revenue-earning model,” Kasaravalli told The Federal.
In the country’s current climate, Kasaravalli fears that films critical of the State and its anti-people stand won't find space on the platform. “Of the 15 films I made, at least 13 of them are critical of the State’s anti-people policies. The NFDC once supported every kind of film in the country, regardless of whether they were pro-State or against the State. NFDC played an important role in the flourishing of new Indian films. But the situation has changed now,” he said.
Underlining the thin line between corporate-managed OTT platforms and government-managed one, Kasarvalli said, “The intentions of both are diametrically opposite. By competing with commercial OTT channels, the state-run OTT platforms will lose their very purpose and identity.” Instead, Kasaravalli advocates for reviving Doordarshan’s old practice of screening National Award-winning regional films, which offered valuable insights into social evolution and was stopped long ago. “This move will definitely help mirror the evolution of society in the light of social, economic and political changes,” says Kasaravalli, who even proposed this to former I&B Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, but he only stressed on a self-sustainable model. This is a clear departure from the earlier socialist ethos India eschewed,” he said.
