Netflix with its latest Chinese drama “Born for the Spotlight” has once again disappointed Hindi-speaking viewers. Although the series features an engaging plot and compelling characters, and it is based on the intriguing journey of young artists attempting to make their way in the entertainment industry.
One major issue is that there is no Hindi dubbing. Although there are subtitles available, many viewers who speak Hindi prefer dubbed versions in order to better understand the plot. This audience has been ignored by Netflix before, and it’s beginning to seem like a trend.
However, Dubbing is more about accessibility than convenience. A vast majority of viewers who do not comprehend much English find content more pleasurable and engaging when in the native language.
Although it has a significant Hindi-speaking user base in India, Netflix has failed to be consistently responsive to this potential user group. It certainly seems that the streaming giant hasn’t done much to effectively target its broad user groups.
Additionally, it reflects the larger problem of Indian languages’ underrepresentation in global streaming services. The emphasis is still on English and other major languages, even though Netflix has made significant efforts to incorporate Indian programming. Hindi speakers, who make up one of the major linguistic groups on the internet, are so marginalized.
It would be wise to realize that it can largely benefit from its large Hindi-speaking fans by becoming inclusive. Moreover, increased dubbing will increase viewer enjoyment, giving the platform an important competitive edge.
There is a demand for Hindi-dubbed shows and movies, and filling this gap by Netflix would be well appreciated by the audience.
Netflix’s expanding collection should remember the importance of its Hindi-speaking audience. If there were ever a genuine attempt to be inclusive, dubbing would be unavoidable rather than just a convenience. For Netflix to step up, Hindi audio needs to receive the attention it needs.
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