Shekhar Kapur Claims 'Bandit Queen' Was Edited Without Permission on Streaming Platform

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has alleged that the streaming version of his 1994 film Bandit Queen has been altered beyond recognition without his consent. Taking to social media on Tuesday, Kapur expressed his dismay, questioning whether Hollywood directors would face similar treatment.

"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?" he wrote.

The critically acclaimed ‘Bandit Queen’ is based on the life of Phoolan Devi, the feared Chambal dacoit-turned-politician. Starring Seema Biswas, the film garnered international acclaim following its 1994 Cannes Film Festival premiere.

The controversy stemmed from Kapur’s praise of Netflix’s mini-series Adolescence, which he described as "next level" storytelling that defies conventional narrative structures. Director Sudhir Mishra responded, arguing that Indian filmmakers wouldn’t be given the creative freedom to make such a series.

Kapur then wondered whether OTT platforms would allow him to make Bandit Queen today as he had envisioned it years ago.

Filmmaker Kunal Kohli also weighed in, suggesting Kapur’s Hollywood success would now grant him more creative freedom, but the Bandit Queen era Kapur wouldn’t have been allowed to make the film on his own terms. "Cutting / Hacking your film without your permission is shocking to say the least," Kohli remarked.

The issue raises concerns about creative control in the streaming era, especially for Indian filmmakers adapting bold, unconventional stories.