In some regions, given its explicit content such as nudity, sexual scenes, drug use, and even incest, it’s not unexpected that “The White Lotus” might face censorship. However, a scene less likely to be flagged was edited on external streaming platforms in India, while the threesome involving two brothers remained unchanged.
From a cinema enthusiast’s perspective, it’s the initial sequence that underwent a change – where Belinda’s son, Zion (Nicholas Duvernay), ventures into a pond following hotel gunfire. Upon spotting a Buddha statue, he implores, “Please, let my mom be safe.” He utters a Christian prayer, but as more gunshots echo, his plea transforms to a frustrated exclamation, “What the devil! I said, keep harm away from my mother, you bastard!” This scene is designed to portray the casual misunderstanding of Buddhism among Americans and foreshadows that this tranquil vacation in Thailand will be far from peaceful.
As an enthusiastic fan, I can attest that the scene in question was indeed censored on the popular Indian streaming platform, JioHotstar. Upon my own review of the footage from this service, it appears that Zion’s prayer to the Buddha statue remained intact, but any scenes containing explicit language were completely removed.
According to IndieWire, the streaming service edited the scene without approval from HBO or any legal requirement, a practice often seen in Indian streaming services as they try to steer clear of possible criticism or official examination ahead of time.
EbMaster reached out to Warner Bros. Discovery and JioHotstar, both of whom declined to comment.
Unlike films shown in theaters, which require approval from India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), streaming platforms are encouraged to regulate their content based on government guidelines. In 2021, the Indian Information Technology department released the “Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules,” outlining the regulations that would apply to social media and streaming services.
On video streaming platforms, the code talks about categorization levels. It notes that topics considered particularly sensitive, such as drug abuse, violence, sexual content, child exploitation, racism, or hate speech against any community, are generally unsuitable for younger audiences in higher categories of classification.
In other places, the interpretation of the code can be quite subjective. As it’s explained, “the mood or theme of the content plays a significant role in determining its impact on different audiences.” Therefore, productions with a somber and disturbing atmosphere might receive a stricter rating. Other factors that could potentially affect the rating include the depiction of a worldview that is negative, pessimistic, or hopeless, or the portrayal of actions that are morally questionable or seem normal.
In contemporary India, religion is the subject that is most likely to evoke sensitivity or disapproval, with the rules regarding this matter also being somewhat unclear.
The system for classifying content considers how a movie might offend people based on factors like caste, race, gender, religion, disability, or sexuality, which can be present in various types of works. The classification process also looks at how significant or powerful these elements are within the work.
As a movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled to see that the Indian government is promoting self-regulation in the streaming industry. It’s heartening to know that 17 prominent streaming platforms have embraced this self-regulation toolkit, which will undoubtedly enhance our viewing experience and uphold content quality.
Indian streamers have been exercising extra care since Amazon Prime Video had to apologize for their original series “Tandav,” which upset members of India’s ruling Hindu nationalist government. The series, produced by Muslim filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar, included a scene where a character, played by Muslim actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, depicted the Hindu deity Shiva. Quickly responding to the controversy, Amazon edited the scene and Zafar offered an apology. In addition, Amazon issued a formal statement expressing regret.
Recently, acclaimed Indian director Shekhar Kapur expressed concern on X about how unsimilar his 1994 classic “Bandit Queen” appears now. He stated that it has been altered so extensively that it’s virtually unrecognizable from his original work. “Someone has mutilated it,” he lamented. “And yet, my name remains as Director on this film. And astonishingly, no one sought my approval! Are Indian directors regarded as less significant than their Western counterparts? Would they dare to edit a Chris Nolan movie without his consent?
The representative from Prime Video confirmed that the streaming version of ‘Bandit Queen’ on their service has not been altered. The version you see is directly supplied by the film’s distributor, NH Studioz.
Before the 2021 guidelines were issued, self-censorship in India was already a practice. In the year 2020, Daniel Levy criticized Comedy Central India when a clip from “Schitt’s Creek” had edited out the scene where Ted, played by Dustin Milligan, kissed Levy’s character David. Levy questioned their decision on social media, saying, “You showed the kiss between two women, you showed the kiss between a woman and a man, but you removed the kiss between two men?
The Season 3 finale of “The White Lotus” airs on Sunday.
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2025-04-03 18:17