Streaming platform Netflix postponed the release of filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee’s film Tease, initially announced in 2019 under the working title Called Freedom. After years of uncertainty, the film finally premiered at the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF).

At the premiere, Banerjee opened up about the emotional impact of Netflix’s decision. “I went through anger, frustration, depression and at that time, I couldn’t explain. But both my daughters kept saying, ‘Papa, you are always angry.’ After that, I started therapy and I recovered,” he said. moncontrol,

Banerjee revealed that Netflix initially supported the film but repeatedly delayed its release before eventually pulling it off. He partly attributed this decision to the controversies surrounding Ali Abbas Zafar’s Prime Video series Tandav, which made platforms wary of releasing potentially controversial content.

The filmmaker also shared how he suggested self-censoring the teases to avoid backlash. “We told them about the changes we needed to make. We were self-censoring, so we made the list. Netflix said you have to come from a position of strength. After that, as far as we know, the entire team at Netflix changed. And in all these corporate companies, when teams change, things approved by the old team sometimes get partially or completely postponed,” he explained.

Despite the challenges, Banerjee has shown resilience. “I have become a drug addict now. Now, I enjoy fighting,” he said.

The tease features an ensemble cast including Manisha Koirala, Divya Dutta, Naseeruddin Shah, Huma Qureshi, Shashank Arora and Zoya Hussain. The film describes the daily lives of three generations of a middle-class urban family.