Director Dibakar Banerjee on Netflix shelving Tees: Went through anger, depression

Streaming platform Netflix shelved the release of filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee’s film Tees, 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).
On the sidelines of the premiere, Banerjee opened up about the emotional toll of Netflix’s decision. “I went through anger, frustration, depression, and at that time, I couldn’t tell. But both my daughters kept saying, ‘Papa, you are always angry.’ After that, I started therapy, and I was fine,” he told Moneycontrol.
Banerjee revealed that Netflix initially supported the film but repeatedly delayed its release before ultimately shelving it. He attributed this decision partly to controversies surrounding Ali Abbas Zafar’s Prime Video series Tandav, which made platforms wary of releasing potentially contentious content.
The filmmaker also shared how he suggested self-censoring Tees to avoid backlash. “We told them about the changes that we should make. We were self-censoring, so we made the list. Netflix said that you should come from a position of strength. After that, from what we know, Netflix’s entire team changed. And in all these corporate companies, when the teams change, the things approved by the old team are sometimes partially or completely shelved,” he explained.
Despite the challenges, Banerjee has embraced resilience. “I have become an addict now. Now, I enjoy fighting,” he said.
Tees features an ensemble cast, including Manisha Koirala, Divya Dutta, Naseeruddin Shah, Huma Qureshi, Shashank Arora, and Zoya Hussain. The film chronicles the daily lives of a middle-class urban family across three generations.