Movies now-a-days are very bold and films that cannot be released in theaters can be streamed on OTT or any other digital medium so that ultimately they do reach the audience.
However, almost a decade ago, when there was no existence of OTT in India, and television and theaters were the only mediums of entertainment, movies that were not allowed to release in theaters because of their bold or controversial content had to be released in other countries.
Here are a few such controversial and bold movies that earlier were considered not suitable for theatrical release but are now streaming on digital platforms.
Black Friday on Netflix
The movie is based on the 1993’s Bombay riots in which the violence was directed at both Muslim and Hindu communities. Based on S Hussain Zaidi’s book, the movie unfolds the inner planning that led to the Bombay blasts and the revenge-killing behind it.
Paanch on Mubi
It is the debut movie of Anurag Kashyap that deals with five friends who are drug addicts. It deals with the harmful repercussions of such wayward life when the youth waste their lives.
Lipstick Under my Burkha on Amazon Prime Video
It was one of the most censored movies in India with the Indian Censor Board recommending over six dozen cuts. The movie unfolds the truth about female desires in which four female characters from different age groups and marital statuses decided to give in to their female desires completely.
Bandit Queen on Amazon Prime Video
This Shekhar Kapur-directed movie created quite a ruckus when it was allowed to release in theaters for a brief period in India but later on, was forced to pull off. It is a biopic on the life of Chambal’s infamous dacoit Phoolan Devi who in her later years of life became a Member of Parliament.
Fire on YouTube
It is about two women who come together after their husbands cheat on them. This Nandita Das movie was one of the most controversial movies of that time with some outstanding acting from Shabana Azmi.
Firaaq on Jio Cinema
The deadly riots of 2002 shook many and they continued to affect many families for a long time. The movie throws light on the impact of the riots on the lives of common people including laborers, workers, music teachers, a married woman, and many others. The state government of Gujarat strongly opposed its release and hence, Firaaq was not released in Gujarat.
Garbage on Netflix
When a sex tape of a woman having sex with three people gets leaked, people start targeting and judging her. One person who is harassing her the most is a taxi driver whom she kidnaps and keeps in a cage. It’s a mind-boggling story that unfolds expected layers of human personality.