Video streaming industry divided over contours of creative liberties

Disagreements over the extent of creative liberty to be accorded to content creators and the treatment of issues such as nudity and religion have split the video streaming industry, three production studios and platforms executives said.

While broadcaster-led apps such as Disney+Hotstar, Sony LIV and Voot preferred to play it safe under the aegis of the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF), companies such as Netflix and Amazon have formed a self-regulatory body under the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) as they want to retain the option of working on edgy themes, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.