In March, Indian audiences tuned into some foreign favorites, with a Korean drama and an American series outperforming most homegrown content. Nielsen’s latest report, reveals a surprising shift in urban India’s viewing habits.
It’s surprising, and honestly a little worrying, that Korean and American shows are beating most Indian series in viewership. While Aashram on MX Player held strong as the most-watched series in March, and Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar came in second, the third and fourth places went to shows from outside India, and that should raise worrying some eyebrows.
Netflix’s Korean drama When Life Gives You Tangerines came in third, ahead of any Indian Netflix show. Even more surprising, Stranger Things, a Western show that’s been around for years, claimed the fourth spot. That means both these international titles did better than most Indian-made series, including those with big names and big budgets.
This tells us something important. Indian audiences are open to global content, they don’t mind watching a show in another language as long as the story is gripping. But it also highlights a problem. Indian platforms, especially those targeting urban youth, need to up their game. The glitzy high production slop isn’t drawing anyone anymore. Lack of promotion for actually good shows is harming the country’s own talent and quality. The emotional and real stories being told are being buried beneath mediocrity with international shows dominating the platforms. It is certainly sad to see.