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When Uday Mahurkar speaks, it’s not with rage, but with quiet, deep-rooted conviction. “If your motive is selfless, and it’s rooted in truth, courage comes naturally,” he said — words that now echo across the country in the wake of the government’s recent decision to ban over two dozen OTT apps, including AltBalaji and ULLU, for promoting explicit content.
Mahurkar hails from a proud Maratha lineage rooted in Sardari village near Pune. His ancestors, valiant warriors under Maratha general Mahadji Scindia, earned the title of ‘Sardar’ from the Gwalior State and fought in key battles across North India, including the pursuit of Rohilla chief Ghulam Qadir, who had blinded Mughal emperor Shah Alam II in 1788.
Known for his close ties with several national leaders—including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, with whom he shares a longstanding association—Mahurkar is respected across political circles. His son married into a reputable Maratha family in 2014, while his daughter Rigvedita Kumari wed into the royal family of Nagar Untari, Jharkhand, which is connected to the erstwhile princely states of Rewa, Datia, and Jashpur.
A graduate in Indian history and archaeology from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Mahurkar began his career as a journalist at The Indian Express in 1983, later rising to become Deputy Editor at India Today. In 2020, he was appointed as Information Commissioner by the Government of India.
But long before and after his tenure, he has been vocal about what he sees as a slow, dangerous erosion of India’s moral fabric—particularly through what he calls “cultural terrorism” disguised as entertainment. As the founder of the Save Culture Save Bharat Foundation, Mahurkar led the petition that pushed for the recent crackdown on obscene OTT content.
He argues that today’s unchecked digital content isn’t just entertainment—it’s a weapon that could undo centuries of resilience. “Hundreds of years of Islamic invasions couldn’t wipe out our culture, but this content can destroy it in a matter of years,” he warned.
His demands now go further: stricter laws, 10-year jail terms, non-bailable offences, and even property seizure for those promoting indecent content under the guise of freedom of expression. He is also pushing to amend the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act with teeth strong enough to act as a true deterrent.
For Mahurkar, this is not a campaign—it is a dharmic mission. Backed by platforms like Gems of Bollywood, his efforts have sparked a national debate on where creative freedom ends and cultural responsibility begins.
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