Prime Video Denies Shekhar Kapur’s Allegations Of ‘Bandit Queen’ Censorship

India-West News Desk

MUMBAI– US streaming giant Prime Video has refuted filmmaker Shekhar Kapur’s claim that his acclaimed film Bandit Queen was edited without his consent before being made available on the platform.

A few days ago, Kapur posted to express his outrage, stating that the version of Bandit Queen on Prime Video had been altered “beyond recognition.” He also questioned whether OTT platforms would treat Western filmmakers in a similar manner.

“I wonder @IAmSudhirMishra if OTT platforms would let me make Bandit Queen the way I made it years ago. The Bandit Queen on #AmazonPrime is unrecognizable 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 wrote.

Responding to the allegations, Prime Video issued a statement on March 24 denying any involvement in altering the film. “Prime Video has not made any edits to the version of the film Bandit Queen currently streaming on the service. The version available on Prime Video is the version provided by the film’s distributor, NH Studioz,” a spokesperson clarified.

Kapur’s Bandit Queen, based on the life of dacoit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi, received widespread acclaim upon its release in 1994. The film was lauded for its gritty storytelling and lead actress Seema Biswas’s powerful performance, eventually winning the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

In his post, Kapur recalled the challenges of making the film, describing how he and his team worked tirelessly in extreme conditions to perfect each scene. He emphasized that every edit was a result of rigorous deliberation and that any changes to the film should have been made with his involvement. (with ANI inputs)