Shekhar Kapur slams OTT platform for editing Bandit Queen without permission: ‘Would they cut a Christopher Nolan film?’

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur opened up about it when he took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to applaud the Netflix miniseries Adolescence.

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has voiced his frustration over the editing of his 1994 film Bandit Queen in the OTT space, saying someone has cut it beyond recognition. The filmmaker lamented that the OTT version had been cut without his consent.

Based on the real life bandit Phoolan Devi, Shekhar Kapur’s 1994 film showed the grim life of Chambal dacoits.

Shekhar also wondered if the same liberties would be taken with a film by a director like Christopher Nolan.

Shekhar Kapur fumes over OTT edits

It all started when Shekhar took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to applaud the Netflix miniseries Adolescence. He wrote, “I’m not the first one to say this but #Adolescence from #Netflix redefines what truly great series can achieve. Its defies the regular 3 act structure of cause and effect and plunges you deeply into the minds of the characters and allows you to reflect upon yourself ..It’s next level story telling. Watch it.”

Reacting to it, filmmaker Sudhir Mishra shared that such bold storytelling would never be permitted in India, writing, “Nobody will let us do something like that . One should do it as an independent film. Something of our own which is wanders, then stops, digs and goes where the smell takes us.”

At this moment, Shekhar expressed disappointment over the editing of his 1994 film Bandit Queen. He wrote, “I wonder @IAmSudhirMishra if OTT platforms would let me make #BanditQueen the way I made it years ago. The Bandit Queen on #AmazonPrime is unrecognisable 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?”

Hum Tum maker Kunal Kohli feels Shekhar can experiment with stories and projects as he has succeeded in Hollywood. He condemned the editing of his film without his permission. “But the Shekhar Kapur before Bandit Queen would definitely not be allowed by any OTT to make Bandit Queen the way he wants to. Cutting / Hacking your film without your permission is shocking to say the least,” he wrote.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta also chimed in and wrote, “That is the point I’ve been trying to make @shekharkapur. Are we here to foster superior storytelling or to produce cattle-feed? Leave the good stories, the innovative storytelling, the silences, the slow burn, the experiments, the audacity, the budgets to the superior minds from the west. Welcome back to the days of colonisation”.

About the film

Based on the real-life bandit Phoolan Devi, Shekhar Kapur’s 1994 film showed the grim life of Chambal dacoits. While the film was adjudged the Best Hindi Film, Seema Biswas won a National Award for her portrayal. Bandit Queen premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 1994 Cannes Film Festival and travelled to a few other film festivals as well. The film was also India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 67th Academy Awards. However, it did not make it to the nominations.