New Delhi: In a significant move aimed at curbing the proliferation of vulgar and pornographic material on digital platforms, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has directed the blocking of 25 OTT platforms and associated apps and websites. The decision, issued on July 23, 2025, follows months of regulatory warnings and public complaints.
The banned list includes platforms like Ullu, ALTT, Desiflix, and Big Shots App, among others. In total, 26 websites and 14 apps have been directed to go offline for violating multiple Indian laws, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code, and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. Some platforms were also found in breach of Section 67A of the IT Act, which deals with sexually explicit content.
According to government sources, the directive was issued in consultation with the Ministries of Home Affairs and Electronics & IT, the Department of Legal Affairs, industry bodies such as FICCI and CII, as well as domain experts on women and child rights. These agencies flagged repeated violations, with content containing sexually explicit scenes, nudity, and material deemed to be pornographic in nature.
This isn’t the first time platforms like Ullu and ALTT have drawn regulatory ire. In July and August 2024, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had raised red flags over objectionable content hosted by both platforms. Ullu, for instance, was compelled to remove its series House Arrest in May 2025 after a government intervention.
Despite earlier warnings — including an advisory issued on February 9, 2025, urging adherence to the Code of Ethics under the IT Rules, 2021 — many platforms continued to flout the norms. Some even attempted to circumvent prior bans by migrating to new domains, authorities revealed.
The Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council (DPCGC), a self-regulatory body that counts around 40 OTT platforms as members — including Ullu and ALTT — had earlier directed the removal or editing of more than 100 series. However, compliance was reportedly superficial. In many cases, content was temporarily removed only to be re-uploaded later, often unedited.
The council also took issue with ALTT’s content, finding some of the material “bizarre and distasteful,” featuring sex and nudity without any contextual justification. ALTT, operated by ALT Digital, is a subsidiary of Balaji Telefilms, whose promoter-directors are Ektaa Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor. Ullu, another prominent name in the list, was founded by media entrepreneur Vibhu Agarwal.
Government officials say the final decision was made after years of accumulating public grievances and exhaustive reviews of the platforms’ content libraries. “There was hardly any storyline or social message. Much of the material was obscene, vulgar, and, in some instances, pornographic,” a senior official stated, citing frequent depictions of nudity and inappropriate themes involving family relationships.
Among the 25 platforms ordered to be blocked are: Ullu, ALTT, Desiflix, Big Shots App, Boomex, Navarasa Lite, Gulab App, Kangan App, Bull App, Jalva App, Wow Entertainment, Look Entertainment, Hitprime, Feneo, ShowX, Sol Talkies, Adda TV, HotX VIP, Hulchul App, MoodX, NeonX VIP, Fugi, Mojflix, and Triflicks.
The move underscores the government’s growing resolve to regulate digital content while balancing freedom of expression with public decency norms. With repeated offenders now under scrutiny, industry observers believe this marks a new era of stricter OTT oversight in India.
Gaurav Sahay, Founding Partner at Arthashastra Legal, comments on the legal rationale behind such bans and the broader implications for the OTT ecosystem: Any depiction that degrades or objectifies women, through media is a basis to ban platforms, especially for obscene portrayal of women. The law criminalizes distribution or performance of obscene content/ acts in public places, and, by extension, digital media does not escape public morality standards. Freedom of Speech and Expression is not an absolute Right and is subject to reasonable restrictions. OTT platforms are mandated to exercise diligence, remove unlawful content, follow a code of ethics, implement grievance redressal mechanisms, and enforce age-based content classification. Authorities can issue blocking directions under the law to protect public order, morality, or prevent cognizable offenses. Platforms risk blocking if content is deemed to violate these laws. In effect laws are reshaping OTT freedom with stricter oversight, elevated compliance costs, and a narrowing of permissible creative boundaries in India’s digital streaming space.
