Netflix India recently axed season 2 of the acclaimed show ‘Kaala Paani’ citing budgetary constraints, according to reports. The show was renewed after getting a strong reception but now this cancellation has fueled public frustration, raising questions about Netflix’s priorities in the Indian market.
Set in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, ‘Kaala Paani’ was a standout survival thriller, lauded for its gripping narrative, stellar performances, and poignant ecological themes. The show resonated with audiences for its relatable post-pandemic allegory and nuanced storytelling.
‘Kaala Paani’ has great reviews and ratings, yet it couldn’t fit in Netflix India’s budget, a move that reflects the platform’s shortsightedness.
Compare this with the streaming giant’s other underwhelming titles for whom the platform doesn’t shy away from going deep into its pockets. It is kind of getting more than obvious how Netflix India has recently been favouring more star-driven projects that actually turnout lacklustre.
Zoya Akhtar’s musical drama ‘The Archies’ was week and faced criticism for its flat execution; ‘Maharaj’, Junaid Khan’s debut, stirred controversy but failed to impress critically; ‘Nadaaniyan’ featuring Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor, was panned as “one of the worst debuts in years,” and in case of ‘Jewel Thief – The Heist Begins’, despite Saif Ali Khan’s star power, it was labeled a “glossy, over-the-top” misfire, with reviews noting its absurdity over substance.
Scrapping ‘Kaala Paani’ sequel season has got Netflix India in public’s ire on social media where they have been calling out the platform for their “ridiculous” decision and promoting star-kids.
But what’s more concerning here is how Netflix India is now focused only on the money side of it all. Even though the above mentioned titles performed poorly and got pretty bad reviews, they managed to bring in the steaming minutes and probably that’s all that the platform is concerned about now.
And not that it all happened organically, Netflix India had its plans in place including some intense marketing and promotions. and this generated a great per-release buzz for these titles.
But why would Netflix India do so? Why hype mediocre stuff and not the good ones? Well, Netflix India is following Netflix’s global footsteps where the platform is often seen backing stuff that mints more money for it rather than being creative.
Well, that’s how business run and seeing from one angle Netflix or Netflix India isn’t wrong in doing so. But then is this strategy sustainable? How long till they realise that quality is what helps you sustain the business?
It’s one thing to have both kinds of content on the platform, the buzzy ones and the good ones, but to scrap one to favour the other and meet the budget is something fundamentally wrong. Sooner Netflix and Netflix India realise this the better. Also, if this is just some short term strategy to become profitable and get their books right for the quarter or year, it’s understandable but if this is how things are going to be then Netflix is gradually headed towards a scenario where it honestly wouldn’t wish to be.
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