MUMBAI — The neon glow of smartphone screens is lighting up a murky corner of India’s streaming world, and apps like Ullu are at the heart of it. With shows flaunting explicit scenes and provocative titles, these platforms have drawn fire from regulators and courts, igniting a fierce debate over what’s allowed in the wild west of OTT—over-the-top—streaming. The government, prodded by a string of complaints and a Supreme Court nudge, is now scrambling to rein in content that many say crosses the line into outright vulgarity.
On March 14, 2024, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting dropped a hammer, blocking 18 OTT platforms for peddling what it called “obscene and vulgar” content. The sweep targeted 19 websites, 10 apps, and 57 social media accounts linked to these platforms. It was a bold move, the kind that makes headlines, but it left some glaring gaps. Ullu, a name synonymous with steamy web series, and Alt Balaji, another player in the same gritty league, somehow slipped through the net. Critics were quick to cry foul, pointing to the apps’ knack for dodging bans while churning out shows that skirt the edges of decency.
The heat on Ullu isn’t new. Back in 2024, the National Commission for Women hauled in the app’s CEO alongside actor Ajaz Khan, grilling them over content deemed too raw for public consumption. Clips from Ullu’s reality show House Arrest went viral that year, not for their artistry but for scenes that had social media buzzing with outrage. The controversy echoed an earlier storm around India’s Got Latent, where Ullu’s brand of boundary-pushing content first raised eyebrows. Each scandal has piled pressure on regulators to act.
The Supreme Court waded into the fray on April 28, 2025, calling out the “major concern” of pornographic content flooding online platforms. In a pointed move, the court fired off notices to the central government and heavyweights like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Ullu, and Alt Balaji, alongside social media giants like Google and Meta. The message was clear: OTT platforms can’t keep serving up explicit material without accountability. The court’s action stemmed from a public interest litigation demanding the government clamp down on obscene streaming, a plea that’s gained traction as apps like Ullu proliferate.
The government’s response has been a slow burn. No concrete censorship rules for OTT platforms have been rolled out, though steps are in motion. Draft guidelines have floated around since 2021, when the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting brought OTT under its purview, but they’ve yet to harden into law. The aim is straightforward—curb content that’s obscene or objectionable—but the execution’s been messy. New platforms keep popping up, offering risqué shows at dirt-cheap prices, and Ullu’s been leading the pack, its catalog packed with titles that lean hard into eroticism.
The lack of a censor board for OTT, unlike the iron grip of the Central Board of Film Certification on movies, has left a regulatory void. Films get sliced and diced before hitting theaters, but streaming apps face no such gatekeeper. The result? A free-for-all where content flows unchecked to audiences of all ages. On May 1, 2025, a parliamentary standing committee heard complaints that apps like Ullu and Alt Balaji keep evading bans, with no clear answer from the Ministry on why.
The numbers tell a stark story. India’s OTT market is booming, with over 50 platforms and counting, serving millions of subscribers. Ullu alone has carved out a niche with low-budget, high-drama series that thrive on shock value. Its business model—cheap subscriptions and a steady stream of provocative content—has drawn scrutiny from bodies like SEBI and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, which launched probes in 2024 after complaints about Ullu’s planned IPO. The app’s ambition to raise crores from the stock exchange while peddling adult content has only fueled calls for stricter oversight.
For now, the battle rages on. Regulators are drafting rules, courts are issuing warnings, and platforms like Ullu keep pushing the envelope. The government’s March 2024 ban blocked platforms nationwide, but without a censor board or clear laws, enforcement remains a game of whack-a-mole. The Supreme Court’s April 2025 notices are still pending replies, and the Ministry’s promised guidelines have yet to see daylight. Meanwhile, Ullu’s latest releases are just a click away, streaming to screens across India.