Following the Indian government’s sweeping ban on 25 OTT platforms flagged for hosting allegedly obscene or vulgar content, renowned producer Ekta Kapoor has issued a public clarification firmly distancing herself from ALTT (formerly ALTBalaji), now under scrutiny.
Government’s Action
On July 25, 2025, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) orchestrated a crackdown, issuing directives to block public access to 25 platforms including ALTT, ULLU, Desiflix, and Mojflix. The decision was driven by violations of multiple statutes, including:
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Sections 67 & 67A of the Information Technology Act (prohibiting electronic transmission of obscene material),
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Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (offensive acts/conduct),
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Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 The Economic Times+13India Today+13Moneycontrol+13India Today+5Hindustan Times+5The Economic Times+5The Economic Timesmint+1The Economic Times+1.
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ALTT had been identified for streaming content described as soft‑pornographic, lacking substantive social messaging or narrative context The Times of India+5The Indian Express+5The Economic Times+5.
Ekta Kapoor’s Statement
In a strongly worded Instagram post captioned “To whomsoever it may concern”, Ekta Kapoor clarified:
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She and her mother, Shobha Kapoor, ended their association with ALTT in June 2021.
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They hold no affiliation—financial, managerial, or otherwise—with ALTT.
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She emphasized that any media implication or insinuation to the contrary is “strongly denied”, and urged accurate reporting mint+7Moneycontrol+7Hindustan Times+7.
She added that Balaji Telefilms Limited—listed on BSE and NSE—is the professional media entity responsible for ALTT’s operations following a merger formally approved on June 20, 2025 The Economic Times+5Moneycontrol+5Hindustan Times+5.
Background & Industry Impact
Launched in April 2017 as ALTBalaji and later rebranded ALTT, the platform was a major digital asset for Balaji Telefilms, previously valued at ₹1,209 crores. Its ban marks a significant setback for the company’s digital ambitions Wikipedia+1The Economic Times+1.
The MIB coordinated with key ministries—including Home Affairs, Women & Child Development, and Electronics & IT—as well as industry bodies like FICCI and CII and rights experts—before issuing the block on apps viewed as distributing indecent or pornographic content The Economic Times+3Hindustan Times+3www.ndtv.com+3.
Key Takeaways
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Ekta & Shobha Kapoor have unequivocally disassociated from ALTT since June 2021.
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The ALTT ban is government-led, based on alleged violations under established IT and obscenity laws.
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Balaji Telefilms officially took over ALTT in June 2025, post-merger, and is now responsible for any compliance or governance issues Maharashtra Times+13Moneycontrol+13Hindustan Times+13.
️ Response & Reflection
In her post, Ekta Kapoor urged the media to correct any inaccurate narratives that suggest ongoing involvement. Observers note that the timing of her clarification—circling around the ban announcement—appears designed to safeguard her and her family’s reputation amid regulatory fallout.
ALTT’s inclusion in the ban is part of stricter enforcement by the government aiming to curb accessible adult content in India’s OTT landscape, particularly to protect children and uphold moral content standards.
Let me know if you’d like deeper background on ALTT’s content controversies or the regulatory framework that led to this crackdown.