India bans streaming apps you’ve by no means heard of — however tens of millions watch

India has ordered the blocking of 25 streaming companies — many with tens of millions of viewers and even paying subscribers — for allegedly selling “obscene” content material, in one of many South Asian nation’s largest digital crackdowns but. The order impacts lesser-known, however wildly widespread companies like Ullu and ALTT that cater to the nation’s mass-market urge for food for grownup and edgy leisure.

This week, the Ministry of Data and Broadcasting issued directives to dam entry to web sites and apps linked to 25 streaming companies, citing provisions of the Data Expertise Act of 2000 and the IT Guidelines of 2021, TechCrunch discovered.

The order got here months after the Nationwide Fee for Safety of Youngster Rights and a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Data Expertise raised issues about mature content material being streamed on these platforms with out satisfactory safeguards.

The Indian authorities contacted web service suppliers and app shops, together with Google Play and the Apple App Retailer earlier this week to limit these streaming companies, a supply aware about the matter instructed TechCrunch.

A few of these companies, particularly the foremost ones with tens of millions of subscribers, remained dwell on the time of submitting this text.

Google and Apple didn’t reply to requests for remark. The data and broadcasting minister additionally didn’t reply to an e-mail despatched Friday.

Of the 25 streaming companies, 10 provided in-app purchases via their apps on Google Play and the App Retailer, producing a cumulative $5.7 million since launch with almost 105 million downloads, per the Appfigures knowledge completely shared with TechCrunch. The huge hole between in-app purchases and downloads is primarily as a consequence of their low subscription prices — considerably decrease than Netflix and different world platforms in India.

Notably, a few of these streaming companies had been both by no means listed on conventional app shops or had been eliminated earlier, and as an alternative provided their apps as direct APK downloads. As of publication, a few of these APK information had been nonetheless accessible via their web sites or third-party platforms.

Earlier this month, Indian manufacturing firm Balaji Telefilms, the mother or father of ALTT, disclosed that its streaming app generated ₹202.6 million ($2.3 million) in income by including 1.06 million subscribers in 2025. ALTT’s content material was watched for greater than 5.8 million hours, garnering 160 million annual views, the corporate mentioned.

ALTT’s app was not obtainable for obtain via Google Play and the App Retailer in India, and its web site was inaccessible on most Indian ISPs on the time of submitting this text.

Balaji Telefilms didn’t reply to a request for touch upon the ban.

Ullu, one other comparatively outstanding streaming service named by the Indian authorities, remained obtainable by way of its app on the Indian Play Retailer, and its web site was accessible as properly. The service’s iOS app, nonetheless, was not obtainable for obtain from the Indian App Retailer.

Ullu Digital, the mother or father firm of Ullu, reported a internet revenue of ₹212.3 million ($2.5 million) for the monetary 12 months 2024, per its regulatory submitting reviewed by TechCrunch. The corporate posted a income of ₹931.4 million ($11 million) and declared a internet value of ₹2.08 billion ($24 million).

Ullu Digital didn’t reply to requests for remark.

Alongside tens of millions of {dollars} in subscription income, these streaming companies had been additionally attracting tens of millions of world visits to their web sites.

Ullu noticed almost 10% year-over-year development in worldwide site visitors, reaching 1.9 million visits in June, whereas ALTT recorded over 130% development to 776,400, per SimilarWeb.

In India, Ullu recorded 18.9% year-over-year development, reaching 1.8 million visits, whereas ALTT noticed a 157.8% improve to 696,200 visits, SimilarWeb knowledge reveals.

Importantly, this isn’t the primary time the streaming enterprise has seen a crackdown in India. World platforms, together with Amazon Prime Video and Netflix usually face cases of censorship by the Indian authorities.

Nevertheless, even stricter actions are seen in instances of obscenity regardless of an absence of readability on laws, as watching express content material that includes totally consensual interactions between grownup actors in a personal area is just not a criminal offense.

In 2023, the then Indian info broadcasting minister warned streaming platforms to not serve abusive and obscene content material. New Delhi has additionally blocked 1000’s of internet sites streaming pornographic content material. On a plea to control sexually express content material in April this 12 months, India’s Supreme Court docket additionally issued notices to streaming platforms and the Indian authorities.

That mentioned, curbing obscene content material stays a problem even for the Indian authorities. Smaller streaming companies — like these focused on this crackdown — usually reappear below new names, apps, and domains. It’s equally tough for intermediaries like Google, Apple, and web suppliers to totally block entry, as these platforms usually unfold via various channels and use social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube to draw viewers.