With their most recent picture, Tees, Netflix and filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee set out to capture the attention with great expectations for a big release in 2022. However, weeks passed, and the streaming behemoth said nothing. Tees tells the multigenerational story of a Muslim family navigating life from 1989 to 2024 while examining the social and political problems of minority communities in India.
Naseeruddin Shah, Kalki Koechlin, Huma Qureshi, Shashank Arora, and Neeraj Kabi are among the film’s stellar cast members. Despite this formidable lineup, Netflix’s response was akin to walking out on a first date.
The production firm, Energy, pushed Netflix for an update after submitting the movie, but they were informed that there were no intentions to release it. Banerjee told Deadline that the director and his team are left in a maddening state of uncertainty, as the streaming site provided no rationale for shelving the project. Tees was shot in 2020 and turned over in May 2022, but for months afterwards, there was ambiguity.
Tees was invited to debut in the Limelight section of the Rotterdam International Film Festival, which offered an olive branch. However, Banerjee encountered a major obstacle when Netflix refused to approve the film. The director was not eligible for festival exposure but could provide links to prospective buyers. This placed Banerjee in a precarious scenario that he likened to a “chicken-and-egg situation,” wherein he needed festival publicity to draw in customers but also needed customers to validate a festival screening.
Banerjee suggested that Netflix’s hesitation was probably due to the country’s changing political landscape. “Netflix has never given me any other reason other than they don’t know if this is the right time to release the film,” he said to Deadline. The only conclusion that can be drawn from Tandav’s experience is that Netflix is hesitant to distribute the movie for fear of facing a similar backlash. However, the film I created differs greatly from the relevant web series.
Tees is not the only one in its afterlife. It now adds to the growing list of movies and TV shows that streaming services have either revived or put on hold because of the country’s increasingly intolerable political climate. Criminal charges were brought in 2021 against Prime Video officials and the actors and crew of the Hindi television series Tandav in response to grievances raised by legislators and fans of India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Because of the precedent this incident set, streaming platforms are now more careful than before.
Following the Tandav scandal, several well-known projects have been shelved. Notable casualties include the second season of Paatal Lok on Prime Video and the adaption of Maximum City by Anurag Kashyap. Tandav finally went live on streaming services, but only after executives consented to help with an investigation and Prime Video made the necessary cuts.
Although some voices in Bollywood disagree and support artists tackling delicate themes, detractors point out that the BJP and other governments are frequently against this kind of content. Filmmakers disclose that they frequently face pressure from right-wing Hindu groups and political parties to create films or series that conform to ‘their narrative,’ thereby transforming artistic expression into a political instrument.
Although censorship is not new in India, the issues posed by the recent outcry against streaming sites are unprecedented. Filmmakers today have to choose between self-censoring, giving up their ideas, or producing a film that supports the right-wing agenda.
While refusing to address Tees directly, a Netflix representative told the BBC that the company’s offerings “reach across Indian films and TV shows, reflecting our long-standing support for creative expression.” This diversity distinguishes us from our competitors and reflects our audience’s wide range of interests.”
The euphoria generated by the entry of international streaming behemoths like Netflix and Amazon Prime in the mid-2010s stands in sharp contrast to this most recent change. Their rise was anticipated to transform Indian cinema and present new chances for writers, directors, and actors. A change from star-studded casts to captivating storytelling and topics was promised with the introduction of streaming platforms, which were viewed as a ray of hope. With streaming releases not subject to the censor board’s strict requirements, this optimism inspired many in the sector to venture into new areas. (Notably, a measure regulating streaming platforms was recently suggested by the Indian government.)
Some people were offended by the idea of blending politics and faith, though. These groups were initially displeased with projects that showed the ‘lynching’ of Muslims or featured interfaith love tales that exposed casteism and religious prejudice.
The Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting refuses to comment on the BBC’s questions. One BJP spokeswoman declined to comment on the issue, and another said nothing.
Artists bemoan the fact that they must self-impose censorship and take extra care when creating because of invisible concerns. According to several industry insiders, production companies and streaming platforms have strengthened their legal departments in response to growing legal challenges. They have also reportedly scrutinized language, dialogues, and scenes while supervising the casting of performers, frequently opting for “creators’ choices.”
One streaming service released guidelines for a show that tackled social and political topics; the BBC was able to access these guidelines. These rules specified, “No reference should be made to any caste (or sub-caste, clan, or tribe) or any leader or member of such groups under the prevalent caste system in India.”
Also, “Such stories should be presented as individual personal experiences, not as representative of all individuals belonging to that religion or caste.”
In an environment where artistic expression is increasingly suppressed, Banerjee’s battle with Tees embodies the larger difficulties faced by filmmakers. The struggle for artistic freedom rages on as the political landscape changes, with creators caught in the crossfire of a convoluted and dynamic censorship system.
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.