OTT Platforms Challenging Ideologies in India

Russian writer Yevgeny Zamyatin published “We” in 1921. The story follows the totalitarian society, One State, its architecture is made-up almost entirely of glass. The citizens are under mass surveillance and society functions strictly by logic and reasoning which justify the common law . The book is as contentious now as it was when it was released. The fallout after the novel circulated forced Zamyatin to move to Paris as his career in Russia was declared dead. He was blacklisted in his homeland. Though he eventually died penniless and in poverty, “We” is considered one of the greatest Dystopian masterpieces.

So, what is it about Dystopia that makes people-particularly those in power-so uncomfortable? In many ways, Dystopian stories are political satires that explore possibilities of what can go wrong in that environment.

In 2019, Netflix India released “Leila,” based on the book of the same name by Indian journalist and novelist, Prayaag Akbar. The story follows a woman named Shalini in her quest to find her daughter, Leila, kidnapped by a totalitarian regime. The regime known as Aryavarta is controlled by supreme leader, Doctor Joshi, who rules with an iron fist. People are segregated based on their religion and forbidden to mate beyond the confines of it. Those who do not obey the law are punished and children of those unions are forcefully taken away. The series contains considerable imagery and symbolism derived from Hinduism.

So, it was not unexpected when far-right Indian organizations started striking out at the series, calling it ‘Anti-Hindu’ and accusing it of spreading #Hinduphobia, which went on to become a Twitter trend.

“Leila” dares to ask uncomfortable questions.

Netflix India’s horror offering, “Ghoul” released in 2018, follows characters in a not too distant future overtaken by sectarianism. In this story, words like ‘anti-national’ are used openly to label anyone daring to challenge the State’s authority. While the central plot focuses on the dark mysteries of one detention facility inmate, the sharp political jabs asserted throughout hit their mark. The world of “Ghoul” is one where intellectuals are routinely rounded-up, heckled and profiled. A time where literature is contraband and book burning the norm; a grim projection of what can be.

The need for Dystopian content is now. When Yevgeny Zamyatin wrote “We,” sealing his own fate, he bravely set out to question Stalin and his policies. When objections are raised about a fictious regime in “Leila,” citizens ought to question why .

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