OTT has surely transformed the entertainment market and it is rapidly spreading its tentacles to the Bollywood arena. While some are embracing this new trend, others are hesitant to join the sector. One of the Bollywood giants who believes the same is Salman Khan.
At the 68th Filmfare Awards 2023, the actor expressed his view that content on OTT platforms should be subject to censorship. He believes that there should be a regulatory body responsible for reviewing and approving content that is available for streaming on OTT platforms.
The idea of censorship in the entertainment industry is often controversial, with arguments for and against it. Salman Khan spoke during a press meeting about how the television industry is offering more opportunities for those who may not have found many opportunities in the film industry. He highlighted how individuals are able to secure work in television, which can lead to further career growth and opportunities. He went on to mention that those who may not have been able to find work in the television industry are now finding opportunities in the world of OTT.
Salman Khan expressed his views on the need for censorship on OTT platforms during the press meeting. He mentioned that Ram Gopal Varma was one of the pioneers in producing provocative content on OTT, and as a result, he believes that such content should be monitored and regulated. He believes such instances has led to the proliferation of such content. He expressed concern over the prevalence of vulgarity, nudity, and abusive language on OTT platforms and suggested that this should be stopped.
He also raised concerns about the accessibility of OTT content, stating that it can now be viewed on mobile phones, even by young children. He posed a rhetorical question, asking if parents would be comfortable with their young daughters watching explicit content under the guise of using the device for educational purposes.
Salman Khan stressed the significance of supervising and controlling the content provided on OTT platforms to make sure that it is suitable for all audiences. He underlined that generating cleaner content would bring in greater viewership, which would be beneficial for all parties involved. Additionally, he expressed his belief that censorship is necessary to monitor the kind of material available on such platforms, citing Ram Gopal Varma as an example of someone who had created provocative content for OTT.
He expressed his support for censorship on OTT platforms, citing his concerns over the abundance of explicit content including vulgar language, nudity, and swearing. He pointed out that this type of content is accessible to young children, which could be problematic for parents. He expressed his disagreement with the idea that OTT is “cooler” than television, which some people may believe.
The actor stressed the need to monitor and regulate the content available on these platforms to ensure that it is appropriate for viewers of all ages. He further emphasized that producing cleaner content would result in a broader and more diverse viewership.
Overall, his opinion suggested that he believes that stricter regulations are needed to ensure that the content being produced and distributed on OTT platforms is suitable for all audiences.
Salman Khan is all set to make his return to the big screen with the upcoming movie “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan”, directed by Farhad Samji. The film boasts of a star-studded cast that includes Pooja Hegde, Palak Tiwari, Jagapathi Babu, Bhumika Chawla, and Shehnaaz Gill. One interesting aspect of the film is that it will see Salman and Bhumika sharing screen space after a long time after “Tere Naam”.
Recently, he also made a cameo appearance in the much-talked-about movie Pathaan, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. The actor has another project in the works, the third part of the Tiger franchise, where he will be starring alongside Katrina Kaif.
