Govt orders OTT platforms to take down all Pakistan-origin content with immediate effect
OTT platforms
, media
streaming services
, and digital intermediaries to immediately stop hosting or streaming any content that originates from Pakistan, citing threats to
national security
and public order.
The ministry of information and broadcasting, in an advisory issued on Thursday, invoked provisions under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and
Digital Media Ethics Code
) Rules, 2021, to justify the move.
Operation Sindoor
'Op Sindoor's precision & execution was unimaginable': Rajnath Singh
Operation Sindoor: India repels drone, missile attack across LoC
Operation Sindoor: Several airports in India closed - check full list
The directive covers all forms of media, including web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other digital content, whether provided for free or through a subscription model.
"In the interest of national security, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content... having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect," the advisory said.
The government said that the move follows recent terrorist attacks, including the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of several citizens and one Nepali national. The attack was linked to Pakistan-based terror groups, according to the ministry.
The advisory underscored that publishers must avoid content that "affects the sovereignty and integrity of India" or is "detrimental to India's friendly relations with foreign countries."
This unprecedented action could impact content libraries of major streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and others, which have previously hosted Pakistani-origin films and dramas.
The directive, signed by deputy director Kshitij Aggarwal, was issued with the approval of the competent authority and comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following cross-border terror attacks and the recent Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
9 minutes ago
- Mint
'Seems a tad harsh...some people love it': Jamie Lee Curtis reacts to negative reviews of Freakier Friday
Washington DC [US], August 11 (ANI): Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis responded to negative reviews of her new film 'Freakier Friday'. It is a sequel to the 2003 movie 'Freaky Friday', itself based on Mary Rodgers's 1972 novel, and the seventh overall film in the franchise. Curtis reprised her role as Tess Coleman alongside her original co-star and on-screen daughter, Lindsay Lohan, reported Variety. In a post on Instagram recently, Time shared an excerpt from Stephanie Zacharek's review of the film. In the review, she wrote, "No one, as far as we know, actually asked Disney for a sequel to 2003's buoyant, surprisingly unsyrupy generation-gap comedy 'Freaky Friday.'" Curtis responded by commenting on the post, "SEEMS a TAD HARSH. SOME people LOVE it. Me being one." 'Freakier Friday' is a 2025 fantasy comedy film directed by Nisha Ganatra and written by Jordan Weiss. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures, the film stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray, Rosalind Chao, Ryan Malgarini, Christina Vidal Mitchell, Haley Hudson, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Lucille Soong reprising their respective roles from the original film, with Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons in her feature film debut and Manny Jacinto joining the cast. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis recently confirmed that her 'Murder,She Wrote' reboot movie is in the works, reported Variety. On the red carpet premiere of the film 'Freakier Friday' , the actress recently said that she is "excited" to begin the shooting of the movie. "Oh it's," Curtis began, taking a big dramatic pause. "Happening," as quoted by Variety."We're a minute away. But very excited. Very excited. But I'm tamping down my enthusiasm until we start shooting. I have a couple other things to hustle and then I'll get to enjoy that work," said Jamie Lee Curtis to Entertainment Tonight as quoted by Variety. In December 2024, Variety reported that Curtis was being eyed to lead Universal's 'Murder, She Wrote' film adaptation. The 'Freakier Friday' star will take on the role of Jessica Fletcher, the crime writer turned detective who Angela Lansbury played in the original series, reported Variety. According to the outlet, the script has been penned by Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo. Lansbury's original "Murder, She Wrote" series had a long run of 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996. The series peaked at a reported 40 million viewers a week, and still averaged around 25 million per episode through the end of its run, reported Variety. Curtis will be seen in 'Freakier Friday', which is set to hit the theatres on August 8. 2025. Disney's sequel is directed by Nisha Ganantra. Along with Curtis, the film also stars Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto and Mark Harmon in the lead roles. (ANI)
News18
21 minutes ago
- News18
White Lotus Star Sam Nivola Talks About His Success In Hollywood
Sam Nivola opens up about building his acting career independently, despite being the son of famous Hollywood actors Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola. Sam Nivola is gradually earning his reputation in Hollywood. Although born to famous actors Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola, Sam asserts that his achievement is all his own. The young upstart wishes the world to understand he's building his career on his own and with dignity. Sam recently opened up in an interview with Variety on whether his acting career is a result of his famous family background. He stated, 'Other than my genes, I don't think I can attribute much of my success to my parents." He continued, 'I feel proud that I've done it for myself and sometimes despite them. His honesty shows how much he wants to create a legacy in his own way. Even with the advantages of having parents well-settled in Hollywood, Sam stresses his hard work and perseverance in forging his career. Early Roles and Breakthrough Sam's first major role was in Noah Baumbach's 2022 film White Noise. He played Heinrich Gladney, the son of actors played by Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig. Interestingly enough, it was a high school drama teacher who got him this audition, rather than a family member. He said, 'I didn't have my dad's agent make so-and-so call me. I did it myself. I didn't want to provide anyone with any reason to say anything that I've done is due to anyone other than me." This comment emphasises his need to be known for his ability and effort. Beginning Early in the Industry Sam's acting career began in 2013, when he had a guest role in an episode of his mother's comedy series, Doll & Em and his father's production. Since that time, he has gradually built up his portfolio with a combination of TV and film appearances. He has played the sons of famous actors, including in the 2023 movies Eileen and Maestro. In 2024, he played Will Winbury, the gangly son of Nicole Kidman's character in the Netflix limited series The Perfect Couple. Breaking the Nepotism Stigma While many might point to Sam's genetics as providing him with an edge, it's obvious his ability and steady performances separated him. Nepotism can result in overpraising actors who are not qualified. But Sam's path is one of true passion for acting and an effort to prove himself. His parents' work in the industry must have exposed him early on, but his dedication has well characterised his career. Most may not even know his celebrity family connections unless mentioned. This is evidence of how much he has established his name. Parents' Prudence and Their Occupational Choice Curiously, Sam discovered that his parents had initially dissuaded him from pursuing an acting career. 'My whole thing was that my parents didn't want me to be an actor, which I get," he told Variety in an interview with actor Cooper Koch. 'I don't know if I'd want my kid to be an actor. It's a mentally tough career." This did not deter Sam and he pursued his dream. Since then, he has demonstrated his strength in a tough career. His success is a success story of resilience as well as being able to believe in one's calling despite the doubts closest to you. Sam's recent work has drawn positive notice, affirming his status as a rising star. His passion for choosing meaningful roles and acting with depth distinguishes him in a profession famous for its competition and criticism. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
27 minutes ago
- NDTV
3 Reasons Trump Is Growing Soft Towards China - While He Attacks India
US President Donald Trump considers himself the 'President of Peace'. His administration has claimed to play a role in mediating the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Thailand and Cambodia, as well as Israel and Iran, and is currently attempting to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine. In varying degrees, there is evidence of stakeholders within the administration being parties to at least conversations around cessation of hostilities in said conflicts. However, Trump's need to be publicly recognised for bringing peace, has not played well with the actors involved. And this is not just true for India, where New Delhi held off from crediting him for halting Operation Sindoor. Thai officials have also argued that they rejected mediation from any third party, whether it be the US or China. Interestingly, both Pakistan and Cambodia played the opposite game, and went public with their appreciation of Trump's efforts in mediation. The Tariff Train The differences in policy opinions have, for obvious reasons involving pompous interests, led Trump to treat either party to such conflicts differently. His quest for peace has barely even translated to a peaceful American foreign policy. Notable is the example of his use of economic tools to compel and coerce states like India and China to cede to American 'interests'. Also Read | Opinion | Hypocrisy, In Numbers: A List Of All That EU And US Still Buy From Russia In China's case, this translated into an escalatory ladder of tariffs imposed on each other by Beijing and Washington. In the first few months of 2025, it seemed that the tariff tit-for-tat had no end, and that each time Beijing retaliated, Trump would interpret it as a sign of disrespect and raise the stakes. As things stand today, Chinese goods being exported to the US face an almost 55% tariff, and retaliatory tariffs on American products are at around 32%. Both sides are up against an August 12 deadline to negotiate their way out of the future messes their consumers and producers are likely to face. No More The 'Greatest Thief'? Yet, curiously, Trump's stance on China, the US's primary rival in all terms - economic, military, or ideological - now seems to be oriented towards achieving a deal rather than punishing it for undertaking, as he himself once said, one of the "greatest thefts in the history of the world". Going by his own recent words, Trump believes that his initial tariff of 145% was "too high" and that there is the possibility of "a good deal" with China. Behind the scenes, too, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent led a delegation to discuss terms with Vice Premier He Lifeng of China, and his team, thrice this year - on May 11 (Stockholm), June 8-13 (London), and most recently, on July 28 and 29 (again, in Stockholm). A 90-day truce was negotiated in the May meeting, and subsequent negotiations have focused on what China can give and where the US can make concessions. It would be beyond the unexpected if negotiations led to a cooperative 'G-2', as it were. But then again, Trump is popular for being wildly unpredictable. As is evident in India's case, much in contrast to that of China, Trump sees little use in setting the baseline for negotiations. A 50% tariff slapped on India means that the US is effectively communicating hostility at levels seen only in the instances of a select few nations so far - Russia, China and Brazil. Essentially, to the Trump administration, India is as much a problem to its economic growth as is China and/ or Russia - only, with China, there is a willingness to enter a state of managed competition. With India, his exact words while pronouncing a pause in any truces and talks were, "Not until we get it [presumably, the oil trade issue] resolved." In India's case, 25% tariffs have been levied by the US purportedly for not having markets "open" enough to American products, especially in the dairy, fishing and agricultural sectors. An additional 25% tariffs were levied a few days ago to punish India for its decision to continue purchasing Russian oil and petrochemicals. Like China, India has a deadline of August 27 to deal with before the secondary tariffs come into play, even as the initial 25% became applicable on August 7. Why The Softening Despite the lack of clarity, a few factors could be considered to explain this development. The first is a rather straightforward explanation - that New Delhi's refusal to acknowledge the Trump administration's role in the "mediation" with Pakistan ticked him off, and the treatment meted out to India is a distinct case simply using the same justification as the one used against China - the trade with Russia, and its fuelling of the war in Ukraine. Though certainly plausible, the hope is that saner voices in the Trump administration prevailed against deploying a far-fetched view such as this to compromise a fairly stable and prosperous partnership in the Indo-Pacific. The second possibility is that Trump's legacy trade policy agenda, involving the re-shoring of supply chains back to the US and away from China, started to yield repercussions - both political and financial - which were hard to justify to American consumers and producers. As was evident in the case of China's April 2025 licensing restrictions on exports of rare earth elements and magnets to the US, American firms (such as auto suppliers) quickly demanded that a solution be negotiated before domestic production was hindered. Hence, it was felt necessary to negotiate with China at least, which, from the perspective of the US's trade basket, is a much more vital partner than India. But because the President's election campaign and policy today are based around a few non-negotiable promises - ending the Ukraine war, bringing jobs back (especially from India) to the US, and reducing trade deficits to turn up profits - there must be a sacrificial state. Scapegoat Situation? India would seem like the right option in such a scenario. There already existed issues pertaining to the H-1B visa and immigration. When layered with the administration's belief that the China challenge can be dealt with by the US alone, it would appear that getting concessions out of India would seem more critical than maintaining secure ties. The European Union is largely aligned against Russian aggression, and its imports of processed Russian oil from India would be less of a concern if the source is targeted directly. Not to mention, the EU has other obligations vis-à-vis matching American contributions to NATO to keep the transatlantic security guarantees alive. Finally, it could be the case that India's attempts to allow a thaw with China after a long halt in high-level political dialogue post-Galwan appeared to Trump to be a subversion of the proverbial "glue" holding Washington-Delhi ties together. Though, the degree to which such a convergence against China existed in the first place may be exaggerated, or could even be interpreted as hope rather than reality. A Test For New Delhi In any case, India has not taken the tariff decision sitting down. On August 6, New Delhi reaffirmed its strategic partnership with Moscow at a meeting of the India-Russia Working Group on Modernization and Industrial Cooperation. A day ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tianjin, China, for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Leaders' Summit was confirmed in no uncertain terms, after weeks of speculation. Based on India's national interest, the flexing of strategic autonomy and multi-alignment may be a good start. But there is no denying that going forward, there must be an effort to negotiate with the US. No immediate concessions are expected or essential, but the ongoing deliberations on market openness and supply-chain de-risking are much-needed anyway. India's relations with the US, Russia, or China have all had their ups and downs, but the test of New Delhi's balancing act is here. And this time, it doesn't demand concessions and diplomacy alone - it demands reform, especially domestic. (
