Navigating Stereotypes: Portrayal of Hinduism in OTT Web Series, 2018-2020

Abstract

OTT or “over-the-top” platforms, which facilitate the distribution of film and TV content over the internet, have gained tremendous popularity in India in the last few years. In addition to streaming pre-existing films and TV shows, they produce new original content in the form of web series and other newer formats. Given that the OTT segment is not subject to governmental regulations, content creators can offer varied and innovative content tailored to distinct audience demographics. In addition to entertainment, Indian web series makers also focus on social issues likes patriarchy, racism, inter-religious conflicts, sexuality among others, and portray their stories against the backdrop of certain religious symbolisms, customs and markers. Often, however, in their zeal to locate social evils in the prevalent social milieu, they end up negatively stereotyping Hindus. Through a critical analysis of three popular web series between 2018-2020, this paper investigates the representations of different dimensions of Dharmic religions, especially Hinduism. Using a structural film theoretic approach, the paper specifically attempts to explore to what degree the portrayal of Hindu symbolism and motifs reinforce or dispel specific negative stereotypes against Hindus. The analysis uncovers a consistent trend of negative portrayal of Hinduism in terms of structural elements like camera composition, facial expressions, body language, rituals, and other elements. While absence of regulation allows for greater creative freedom in the OTT space, it also opens the door to content that can be offensive to certain communities, and hence there is a need for responsible content creation by web series developers.