The latest Top 10 weekly streaming chart (movie) from Netflix, once again, delivers an important yet predictable lesson, especially when it comes to the Indian OTT landscape: franchise prominence and star-studded specials still reign supreme over critical acclaim.
While director Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound (#9), a film lauded by critics, celebrated at international festivals, and selected as India’s official Oscar entry, struggles to break into the top five, a simple, unscripted, and mediocre special, The Dining with the Kapoors Special (#5), sits comfortably in the upper tier.
This ranking pretty much says everything about the so-called modern taste of the majority of the current Indian digital media audience, where proven hits and easy comfort watches dominate the sophisticated, slow-burn narratives of arthouse cinema.
Sitting firmly at the apex, the #1 spot belongs, unsurprisingly, to Jolly LLB 3. The Jolly franchise, featuring the combined star power of Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi, is a guaranteed crowd-puller.
This scenario once again proves that a decent theatrical run, a beloved premise, and bankable stars are enough to transform the title into an automatic ‘must-watch’ the moment it arrives on OTT.
This, alongside other mass-market-oriented titles, Dude and Telusu Kada (both commanding a powerful joint #2 and #3 ranking), proves that spectacle and commercial familiarity are the fastest routes to the top.
The most shocking surprise of the chart is the strength of The Dining with the Kapoors Special at #5. This one-off family gathering, which offers viewers a nostalgic, intimate peek into Bollywood’s most illustrious ‘khandaan’, has outpowered several high-budget feature films.
Its placement in the top five proves that a lavish yet soulless access to real-life celebrity banter and family nostalgia is a powerful motivator.
This high-ranking entertainment special sheds a harsh light on the performance of Homebound at #9. The film’s struggle on the charts echoes its disappointing theatrical box office run, despite its massive critical goodwill.
The chart shows how streaming works. When people have tons of choices, most just go for what’s easy. That means a hit franchise (Jolly LLB 3), a big regional movie (Dude), or just the fun of a celebrity dinner party (Kapoors). That leaves the Oscar-buzz film Homebound, even with great reviews, stuck way down at the bottom, trying to be seen. Stay tuned for more updates.
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