Mumbai: Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, known for his bold and experimental storytelling, has launched a scathing attack on Netflix India, accusing the platform’s top executives of hypocrisy and a lack of creative courage. Kashyap, who previously co-directed Sacred Games — Netflix India’s first original series — expressed his frustration through a detailed social media post, where he criticised the platform’s Indian leadership and their treatment of local content creators.
Kashyap’s remarks came after he praised the British drama Adolescence, which has been widely acclaimed by both critics and audiences. However, his admiration for the show was tinged with envy, as he lamented that such daring content would never be approved by Netflix India.
Expressing his frustration, Kashyap commented, “Now coming to my envy and jealousy. Ted Sarandos recently put up a post where he said — ‘Every once in a while, one comes along that pushes into brand new territories, defies the limits of creativity, and features career-defining performances.’ And I hope he means it. Because his Netflix India is the complete opposite. If they were pitched this, they would most probably reject it or turn it into a 90-minute film (which is also unlikely, given that it doesn’t have an ending that’s black and white).”
Kashyap did not mince words when describing his disappointing experiences with Netflix India after Sacred Games. “Having gone through this twice with them post Sacred Games, I have had to deal with a total lack of empathy, courage, and sheer dumbness, combined with immense insecurity from the series head and the team, which keeps getting fired. It’s frustrating. How do we ever create something powerful and honest when Netflix India is run by a bunch of dishonest and morally corrupt individuals, strongly backed by the boss in LA?”
Kashyap directly named Netflix’s global head Ted Sarandos and content chief Bela Bajaria, accusing them of adopting double standards for the Indian market, which boasts a population of 1.4 billion people. He claimed that the platform’s sole focus in India was increasing subscriptions, rather than promoting authentic and meaningful content.
“This hypocrisy of Ted and Bella with regard to the Indian market, where their only interest is an increase in subscriptions and nothing else, is frustrating. There was a time when Eric Barmack would reach out on Facebook to create something with Netflix. Now, they send you a half-baked show like Saare Jahan Se Achcha, which wasn’t even properly written and has already changed directors and been shot twice. It makes me frustrated and envious of shows like Adolescence, leaving me feeling hopeless,” he remarked.
Kashyap, who has shifted his creative focus to South Indian cinema in recent years, expressed hope that Netflix India would eventually realise the importance of supporting innovative and impactful content. He pointed out that most of Netflix India’s best-performing shows, such as Delhi Crime and Black Warrant, were either acquired or were projects that the platform had little faith in, like Kohrra and Trial by Fire.
“I hope they learn from the reception of such shows and realise that the best things Netflix India does are often acquired or the ones they least believed in. Fingers crossed for a better future,” Kashyap concluded.
About Adolescence:
Adolescence is a British miniseries created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham. The gripping drama revolves around a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering his schoolmate. Notably, each scene in the series was shot in a single take. The miniseries was released on 13 March and has garnered widespread acclaim.