Disney+ Hotstar trims 'All We Imagine as Light' for streaming
What's the story
Reportedly, Disney+ Hotstar has trimmed some 30 seconds from Payal Kapadia's critically acclaimed film, All We Imagine as Light, for its digital release.
The move is being viewed as self-censorship on the part of the OTT platform. Along with the cuts, additional disclaimers regarding cigarette and alcohol consumption have been added to the film.
However, key scenes including one with frontal nudity remain untouched in this version.
Insider's view
It's an 'additional call' taken by the platform
A source told Mid-Day, "About 30 seconds of the film has been trimmed, but none of the key scenes have been tampered with. Even a contentious scene involving frontal nudity has been left untouched."
"At a later point in the film, when the characters are seen drinking, a disclaimer has been added. This wasn't in accordance with the recommendation of the CBFC but an additional [call] taken by the platform."
Platform's stance
'The norm is to upload what's given to us...'
An insider from Disney+ Hotstar explained, "The norm is to upload what's given to us. Rarely are revisions or changes made. But, when there is an S&P [standards and practices, terms networks use to self-regulate content], we abide by it."
"The platform is liable for what it shows, so a legal clearance is due on both original and acquired content."
The platform has not officially responded yet.
Additional cases
Other films altered by OTT platforms
Notably, All We Imagine as Light isn't the first film to be edited by an OTT platform.
The 2012 gangster drama Gangs of Wasseypur, streaming on Jio Cinema, has been edited to remove cuss words and explicit content.
Similarly, Kamal Haasan's Vikram runs two minutes shorter on Disney+ Hotstar after some violent scenes were cut.
These changes show a trend among streaming services to self-censor their content.