The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has intensified its “clean-up” of the Indian digital streaming space. In a move finalized on Tuesday, the government ordered the blocking of five niche Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms—MoodXVIP, Koyal Playpro, Digi Movieplex, Feel, and Jugnu.
This latest action marks a continuation of the government’s aggressive stance against platforms that prioritize graphic nudity and pornographic visuals over narrative substance, a trend that officials claim has surged in the absence of a traditional theatrical censor board for digital media.
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The IT Rules 2021: Empowering the MIB
The directive was issued under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. These rules mandate that digital content must align with India’s “decency and morality” standards.
The Process: The MIB acted after a series of inter-departmental consultations and reviewing hundreds of public grievances.
The Verdict: Officials noted that the blocked platforms primarily hosted content with “prolonged sequences of nudity” that had little to no thematic or social relevance.
The Repeat Offenders: Mirror Domains and Re-uploads
One of the primary frustrations for the Ministry has been the “whack-a-mole” nature of these platforms.
Tactics: Platforms like Ullu (blocked in July 2025) have reportedly attempted to bypass bans by launching mirror domains or temporarily editing scenes only to re-upload them in unedited formats weeks later.
Scope: In March 2024, at least five other platforms were caught resuming operations under new brand names almost immediately after being blocked.
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Child Rights Concerns: The NCPCR’s Role
The crackdown is also driven by child safety. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has been a key complainant, flagging several platforms for making adult content easily accessible to minors. The commission specifically highlighted that the lack of robust age-verification on these apps posed a significant risk to the digital well-being of children.
Reality Check
The government’s goal is to protect public morality. Still, the definition of “obscenity” in India remains subjective and is often decided on a case-by-case basis by the Ministry. Therefore, while few would argue for the preservation of “soft-porn” apps, there is a lingering concern about where the line will be drawn for mainstream artistic cinema. In fact, by targeting these smaller “fringe” apps, the government is setting a precedent that larger platforms like Netflix or Prime Video are now watching with extreme caution.
The Loopholes
The platforms use “App Store Loopholes”—often re-releasing the same app with a slightly different package name to evade the ISP blocks. In fact, many of these “blocked” apps remain functional for users who have already downloaded them, as the block primarily targets the CDN (Content Delivery Network) and the website domain. Therefore, the VPN loophole remains the biggest obstacle; as long as users can use a VPN to access the servers, the content remains available. Still, the removal from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store significantly cuts off their primary revenue stream.
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What This Means for You
If you are a subscriber to any of these niche platforms, expect your access to be cut off within 24 to 48 hours. First, check your recurring subscriptions; since the platforms are now blocked, you should manually cancel any auto-payments to avoid being charged for a service you cannot access. Then, recognize that “lifetime memberships” on these smaller apps are high-risk investments, as they lack the legal standing of major broadcasters.
Finally, understand that privacy is a concern on these unregulated platforms. You should be wary of any “new mirror links” shared via Telegram or SMS, as these are often phishing attempts to steal your payment data. Before subscribing to a new OTT service in 2026, verify if it is self-regulated under the Digital Publisher Content Grievance Council (DPCGC).
What’s Next
The MIB is expected to hold a review meeting with major ISP providers to ensure the blocks are 100% effective at the DNS level. Then, look for a new “mandatory age-verification” policy for all OTT apps to be discussed in the next parliamentary session. Finally, on March 1, expect a status report on whether the blocked platforms have complied with the take-down orders or are attempting to re-brand.
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