Balaji Telefilms dissociates Ekta, Shobha Kapoor from ALTT after ban

New Delhi: As the government banned ALTT and 24 other apps for allegedly publishing obscene content, Balaji Telefilms on Friday said Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor had stepped down from the board of ALT Digital Media Entertainment Ltd. in 2021 and had “no involvement in the operations or affairs of the company since then.”

The clarification came as Balaji Telefilms’ stock fell nearly 5% on the BSE following the announcement of the ban.

While the Kapoors had resigned from ALT Digital’s board in June 2021, the company itself was officially amalgamated into Balaji Telefilms in June 2025. The merger, approved by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), effectively dissolved ALT Digital as a separate legal entity and transferred its operations, liabilities, and assets to Balaji.

In 2025, ALT Digital Media Entertainment Ltd., the company that originally owned and operated the ALTT platform, was legally merged or “amalgamated” into its parent company, Balaji Telefilms. This means that ALT Digital no longer exists independently. Everything it owned or owed was absorbed by Balaji.

However, Balaji is now clarifying that while this merger happened this year, Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor had already exited from the board of ALT Digital back in June 2021. The company wants to make it clear that the Kapoors had no role in the platform’s operations or decisions in the period leading up to the ban.

This clarification is seen as a response to public speculation and media coverage that has linked the controversial content on ALTT to Ekta Kapoor personally. With stock prices reacting negatively, Balaji is seeking to protect its leadership from direct reputational damage.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), in a press note released Thursday evening, said the 25 platforms were spreading obscene, vulgar, and pornographic content and posed a serious threat to India’s social and cultural fabric. The banned apps include ALTT, Ullu, Big M Zoo, Prime Play, Hunters, and several others.

In its clarification, Balaji Telefilms stated: “We would like to clarify that ALT Digital Media Entertainment Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Balaji Telefilms Ltd., was amalgamated into Balaji Telefilms Ltd. pursuant to the NCLT order dated June 6, 2024. The effective date of amalgamation is June 1, 2025.”

The statement continued: “Further, Ms. Ekta Kapoor and Ms. Shobha Kapoor had stepped down from the Board of ALT Digital Media Entertainment Limited in June 2021 and have had no involvement in the operations or affairs of the company since then.”

Balaji added that it “remains committed to adhering to the highest standards of content integrity and regulatory compliance.”

The clarification appears to be aimed at reassuring investors and distancing the Kapoor-led Balaji brand from the explicit content issues that have led to the ALTT ban.

According to stock exchange data, Balaji Telefilms’ shares dropped 4.9% on Friday following the news of the ban and rising chatter on social media linking the OTT app with its high-profile promoter.

While BestMediaInfo.com reported on the full 90-page evidence submitted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), officials claim the platforms violated multiple sections of the IT Act and Indian Penal Code.

Also read: Behind the ban: How the govt built its case against ‘obscene’ OTT apps