Balaji Telefilms stock falls 5% as govt bans ALTT over obscene content
ALTT (earlier ALTBalaji) is among 25 OTT platforms banned by the Centre on July 25 for allegedly streaming inappropriate content.
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Shares of Balaji Telefilms Ltd. slumped sharply by 5% on July 25, after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) ordered a ban on ALTT, the company’s OTT subsidiary. The ban comes as part of a wider government crackdown on 25 digital streaming platforms accused of airing obscene or sexually explicit content.
Formerly known as ALTBalaji and rebranded to ALTT in 2023, the platform, founded by media producer Ekta Kapoor, has long drawn criticism for provocative storytelling, particularly in its adult-themed web series.
Following the Centre’s ban on 25 OTT platforms including ALTT and ULLU for streaming obscene and vulgar content, producer Ekta Kapoor has publicly clarified that she and her mother, Shobha Kapoor, are no longer associated with ALTT. The mother-daughter duo issued a joint statement to distance themselves from the platform in light of recent developments.
In a note shared on official social media handles, Ekta Kapoor stated, “Ms. Ekta Kapoor and Mrs. Shobha Kapoor are not associated in any capacity whatsoever with ALTT and they had stepped down from their association with ALTT way back in June 2021.” She added that any suggestion to the contrary is “strongly denied,” urging media outlets to report “accurate facts.”
The statement emphasized that Balaji Telefilms Limited, the parent company previously linked with ALTT, is a publicly listed and professionally run media organization. It explained that following a recent merger approved by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), ALT Digital Media Entertainment Ltd. – previously a wholly owned subsidiary – now operates ALTT independently as of June 20, 2025.
The latest government action has not only impacted investor sentiment but also revived debate around content boundaries and digital censorship in India.
The Ministry’s decision, coordinated across multiple ministries, has sent a strong message to the broader OTT ecosystem that compliance with cultural and legal norms is no longer optional.
Read more: Breaking: Govt bans OTTs like Ullu, ALTT, Desiflix, Big Shots for showing soft porn content
Although the ban currently applies to fringe players and lesser-known apps, the inclusion of ALTT, backed by a publicly listed company like Balaji Telefilms, shows that even bigger names are not immune from regulatory heat.
A Platform Long Surrounded by Controversy
ALTT's content strategy has long relied on bold storytelling and provocative narratives. But that formula has often landed it in trouble. The platform has frequently been in the spotlight for courting controversy.
Gandii Baat (2018–2021), the erotic anthology series was one of the first Indian OTT shows to openly depict rural sexuality and taboo subjects. While it gained massive viewership, critics slammed it for promoting soft porn and sensationalism under the guise of social realism. In fact, Ekta Kapoor and her mother, Shobha Kapoor, faced legal trouble under the POCSO Act for this.
Billed as a period drama exploring gender politics, Paurashpur (2020) faced backlash for gratuitous nudity, poor scripting, and being excessively provocative without meaningful substance. Critics argued that the show reduced complex themes to cheap titillation.
Additionally, in 2021, National Award-winning filmmaker Sudhanshu Saria had accused ALTT of copying the poster of his 2015 film Loev for their show His Storyy.
