Richa Chadha and Sanya Malhotra Advocate Sex Education Over Excessive Censorship at OTT India Fest

Actors Richa Chadha and Sanya Malhotra spoke about the need for better sex education and more open conversations around sexuality during a session at the Bollywood Hungama OTT India Fest in Mumbai.

The two-day festival brought together professionals from India’s growing OTT and entertainment industry through panel discussions, conversations, workshops and other events. During one of the sessions, Chadha and Malhotra discussed the debate around sexual content, censorship and the importance of education.

Richa Chadha Calls for More Open Conversations

Richa Chadha addressed concerns surrounding sexual content and pornography while arguing that education should form an important part of the wider conversation.

“If porn is a problem, then you are offering free data to a country that doesn’t have sex education, what’s going to happen,” she said during the discussion.

Chadha also spoke about what she described as an increasingly overstimulated culture and questioned whether censorship alone could address larger issues.

“I don’t know if we need sex censorship as much as we need sex education,” she said.

The actor emphasised the importance of creating an environment in which people can discuss sexuality without treating the subject as something that cannot be openly addressed.

“First of all, we need for the country to be okay to talk about sex because it’s not like it’s not happening and it’s not like it will go away,” Chadha added.

Sanya Malhotra Agrees on the Need for Education

Sanya Malhotra shared a similar perspective, agreeing that education and responsible conversations should be part of the discussion around sexual content and censorship.

“I think, as Richa said, this country needs more sex education than sex censorship,” Malhotra said.

At the same time, she made a distinction between content that is relevant to a story and content that is added without a meaningful narrative purpose.

According to Malhotra, creators should consider whether such scenes genuinely serve the character or the story rather than including them simply because similar content has been successful elsewhere.

She noted that filmmakers should avoid using intimate or sexual content merely as a promotional or commercial device when it does not fit naturally into the narrative.

The Debate Around OTT Content and Censorship

The discussion came at a time when India’s rapidly expanding streaming landscape was continuing to generate conversations around creative freedom, audience access and content regulation.

OTT platforms have introduced Indian audiences to productions from different countries and storytelling traditions. This has also led to wider debates about what should be regulated, what should be left to creative judgment and how viewers—particularly younger audiences—should be protected from inappropriate material.

Chadha and Malhotra’s comments focused on the argument that censorship alone cannot replace informed, age-appropriate education and responsible conversations.

Why Age-Appropriate Education Is Part of the Conversation

Education around bodies, relationships, consent, personal boundaries and online safety can help young people access factual information in an age-appropriate manner.

In a digital environment where people may encounter misleading or inappropriate material online, reliable information and guidance can become particularly important.

The comments made by the actors reflected a broader debate involving educators, parents, policymakers and entertainment professionals about how society can balance creative expression, age-appropriate protections and access to accurate information.

Bollywood Hungama OTT India Fest

The Bollywood Hungama OTT India Fest was held in Mumbai over two days, bringing together actors and professionals from across the streaming and entertainment industry.

The event featured panel discussions, fireside conversations, workshops, masterclasses and an awards ceremony focused on developments in India’s OTT sector.

Richa Chadha and Sanya Malhotra’s discussion was among the conversations that drew attention to issues extending beyond entertainment, including censorship, education and the role of responsible storytelling in an increasingly digital media environment.