Ektaa Kapoor's Bold OTT Venture Faced Family Backlash Before Government Ban
Renowned television and film producer Ektaa Kapoor recently opened up about the intense family conflicts that surrounded the launch of her controversial OTT platform ALTT, previously known as ALTBalaji. The platform, which specialized in adult-oriented and bold original content, eventually faced a government ban in 2025 over allegations of streaming obscene material.
Parental Opposition and Family Disagreements
In a candid conversation on Usha Kakade Productions, Ektaa Kapoor revealed that her parents – veteran actor Jeetendra and producer Shobha Kapoor – vehemently opposed her decision to create the platform. They expressed deep concerns about potential damage to the family's reputation, particularly given Ektaa's status as a Padma Shri award recipient and her established image in the entertainment industry.
"My mom and dad did not want me to start the ALTT," Ektaa recalled. "They thought that since I am a Padma Shri recipient and I have an image in the industry, I should not start an app of bold content. We had a lot of fight in our house regarding this."
The producer explained her perspective, stating she wanted to explore different content genres after years of producing family-oriented shows. "I thought that since I have done a lot of family content, I should do different content which involves youth, crime, bold, something that works on every platform. So I started it, but I did not get any support from my house."
Constant Criticism and Pressure to Shut Down
Ektaa described how her parents continuously criticized her decision and pressured her to close the platform. She compared this experience to the taunts she received for choosing not to marry, noting the ALTT situation generated significantly more criticism.
"They would target four taunts at me as I refused to get married but in this case I had to hear 100 taunts," she shared. "From the morning they would start telling me to close the platform – Band kar Do, band kar do."
The producer added with a touch of humor, "Eventually me and my mom resigned, but I got maximum taunts for this and my dad and mom became my saas (mother-in-law) when it came to this thing."
Government Ban and Subsequent Clarification
In 2025, the Indian government officially banned ALTT along with several other OTT platforms including ULLU, Desiflix, and Big Shots. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a notification citing violations of regulations and the streaming of content deemed "obscene and vulgar."
Following the ban, Ektaa Kapoor released a formal clarification stating that she and her mother had already stepped down from their association with ALTT years earlier. The statement emphasized, "Media reports have been in circulation about ALTT being disabled by the authorities, however, contrary to such reports, Ms. Ekta Kapoor and Mrs. Shobha Kapoor are not associated in any capacity whatsoever with ALTT and they had stepped down from their association with ALTT way back in June 2021."
The clarification further requested media outlets to report accurate facts and strongly denied any insinuation of current involvement with the platform.
Original Vision for the Platform
When ALTT was originally launched, Ektaa had expressed her vision for the platform during an exclusive conversation with SCREEN. She described it as offering "individualistic content" rather than necessarily progressive material, emphasizing viewer choice and personal discretion.
"This is your mobile, it is your choice. See what you want to watch," she had stated. "I was actually shocked with the response ALTBalaji got. I am getting some of my old favourite actors back on it."
The platform's journey from ambitious launch to family controversy and eventual government ban highlights the complex challenges facing content creators in India's evolving digital entertainment landscape, where creative vision often collides with regulatory frameworks and family expectations.
