So, finally, Netflix decided to leap into the world of Indian stand-up. It is about time, isn’t it? But let’s be real here they’re super late to the party. Amazon Prime Video was quite the kingpin for Indian stand-up comedy with big-headliners like Zakir Khan, Kanan Gill, and Sumukhi Suresh.
Prime Video must have been smart enough to notice the Indian stand-up scene early and took the opportunity aggressively. To date, it has housed an enormous repository of specials that have left us in splits. It has an absolutely enthusiastic viewership waiting for any new release. Meanwhile, Netflix was showing off world superhits and kinda missed this vibrant scene.
While Netflix is playing catch-up with specials like Vir Das’s latest show, they can’t really make a mark because Prime Video has not only established a stronghold but also nurtured a close relationship between comedians and audiences. This might be the battle Netflix will have to face head-on: global reach, but an uphill fight for sure.
That aside, the exciting news is that the more players there are in the game, the more chuckling we, the viewers, stand to enjoy. After all, variety is indeed the spice of life. This partly explains why it will not hurt any less to see both platforms fighting for the top spot, bringing us even richer amusement. At the same time, though, for now, Netflix still has a small kid feeling in Prime Video’s long-established comedy club. Can they do it? Only time and lots of laughter will tell.