Shekhar Kapur calls Netflix’s Adolescence ‘a truly great series’; Sudhir Mishra says, ‘Nobody’ll let us make something like that’ in India

Shubhra Gupta writes | Why the show ‘Adolescence’ should be made mandatory viewing

Echoing Kapur’s sentiments, Mishra, in a quote tweet, observed that such bold storytelling would never be permitted in India. He argued that the only viable path for Indian filmmakers to explore this level of artistic freedom is through independent movies. “Something of our own which wanders, stops, digs and goes where the smell takes us,” he noted.

Building on Mishra’s point, Kapur questioned whether today’s OTT platforms would allow him to make a film like Bandit Queen (1994) under the same creative conditions. He also criticised Amazon Prime Video for censoring and significantly altering Bandit Queen’s OTT print without his consent. Condemning streaming platforms for their treatment of Indian filmmakers, he wondered if they would dare to impose similar changes on works by Western filmmakers.

Watch Adolescence trailer here:

“I wonder Sudhir Mishra if OTT platforms would let me make Bandit Queen the way I made it years ago. Bandit Queen on Amazon Prime is unrecognisable from my film. Someone has cut it beyond recognition. And yet it carries my name as director. And no one asked me! Are we lesser beings than Western directors? Would they have the guts to cut a Chris Nolan film without his permission,” Kapur asked.

Starring Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, Owen Cooper, Faye Marsay, Christine Tremarco, Mark Stanley and Jo Hartley Adolescence was created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, and helmed by Philip Barantini. It premiered on Netflix on March 13.