The fall of Netflix India needs to be studied. Honestly!
Remember those golden days when the platform arrived in India with a bang with Sacred Games (2018)? Not only was it original, it was also groundbreaking, realistic, and gritty in every way. After all these years, we believe it’s safe to say that it completely revolutionised how Indians consumed entertainment, playing a crucial role in developing a whole new segment: Indian OTT viewers.
Then came Delhi Crime (2019), another gem of a series. Back then, the platform’s India division was bold, challenging, and resonated with audiences seeking depth and raw storytelling. Fast forward to mid-2025, and a growing number of subscribers are asking: What happened to that Netflix?
The growing frustration among users stems from Netflix India’s massive changes in its content strategy over the last 2–3 years. The focus now appears to be less on hard-hitting, realistic projects and more on youth-oriented programming, broad mass appeal, and what some term “social programming.”
This evolution, driven mostly by market expansion goals and the noticeable influence of its algorithm, is raising concerns that the platform’s Indian originals are losing their distinct edge.
Yes, from a market positioning perspective, Netflix India’s current content strategy makes absolute sense. However, the platform’s reduced focus on realistic and hard-hitting Indian originals not only puts Netflix India in a bad light, it also, in a way, insults the Indian OTT viewers.
Netflix’s ambition to capture a larger share of the diverse Indian market is evident in its content choices. The platform seems to be increasingly greenlighting projects designed to attract younger demographics and broader audiences. Shows like Mismatched, while popular, often face criticism for their light-hearted, sometimes superficial portrayal of urban youth.
Movies like Friday Night Plan, a coming-of-age comedy-drama, and Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, a romantic comedy exploring millennial friendships and social media, exemplify this shift towards youth-centric and lighter narratives. These are often seen as catering to a “wannabe NRI fantasy” that feels disconnected from Indian reality for many viewers.
Unrealistic titles like Class, a teen crime thriller, and The Archies, a musical targeting a younger demographic, also reflect this trend. Another prime example is The Royals, which displays a shift towards mediocre, easily digestible content that prioritizes spectacle and light romance over complex character development or gritty realism.
The recent foray into mainstream unscripted content, highlighted by The Great Indian Kapil Show and CID (licensed), further underscores this shift towards mass appeal. It’s a strategic and commercially sound move to lure viewers from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, familiar with Kapil Sharma and the CID cast. But it also marks a significant departure from the premium, cinematic content that initially defined Netflix’s Indian originals.
Similarly, boring comedies like Wild Wild Punjab and disastrous romantic comedies like Nadaaniyan, with their focus on modern relationships and often comedic tones, contribute to the perception of a broader and weaker content slate.
The recent release of Aap Jaisa Koi is another strong example of Netflix’s foray into social programming, focusing on modern relationships and breaking traditional norms. It’s an epitome of Netflix India’s attempt to create content that aligns with contemporary social conversations, particularly around gender roles, relationships, and shattering patriarchal mindsets.
Perhaps the most important dilemma, according to critics, lies with Netflix’s “revered” algorithm and recommendation system. While designed to personalize viewing, it is inadvertently hurting the visibility of Indian-made originals by heavily pushing mediocre Indian films and global content, especially K-dramas, Hollywood films, and popular international shows.
Viewers often report that their recommendations are dominated by international titles, forcing them to actively search for Indian content. This is one of the key reasons why acclaimed yet underrated Indian originals like Kaala Paani, Kohrra, Killer Soup, and others have struggled to find a wider audience.
The declining quality of Indian originals is another issue that has contributed massively to this scenario. Take Rana Naidu Season 2, for instance. It went up against Squid Game Season 3 and got crushed.
Yes, Squid Game is nothing short of a global phenomenon, but Rana Naidu Season 2 should have at least held its ground on Netflix India’s streaming charts, especially considering how well Season 1 performed and the high expectations for the follow-up. More than half of 2025 has passed, and Netflix India has yet to deliver a single acclaimed, memorable Indian original.
Netflix India’s current strategy appears to be a delicate balancing act between expanding its subscriber base and maintaining the quality and distinctiveness that initially drew viewers in. However, if the current path continues, and the perception of declining quality persists, Netflix India risks not just losing its edge, but also the discerning audience it once developed in India.
Can Netflix India find its way back to producing the “realistic and gritty projects” that truly resonated? Let’s see what happens. Stay tuned for more updates.
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