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Anurag Kashyap Calls Out Netflix India's "Hypocrisy" While Praising Crime-Drama 'Adolescence'
The filmmaker pulled no punches in his critique of Netflix India, calling out the streamer's lack of vision, misplaced priorities, and the stark contrast between its global and Indian content strategy.
Filmmaker and actor Anurag Kashyap has once again made headlines — this time for his scathing critique of Netflix India. In a recent post on Instagram, the director called out the platform's "hypocrisy", admitting it made him feel "jealous" of its US counterpart.
Read More | Anurag Kashyap Reveals The First 'Life-Altering' South Indian Film He Watched
"Just binge watched Adolescence," the director revealed. "I am numb and envious and jealous that someone can go and make that." Kashyap praised actors Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham (also, co-creator) for their performances along with cinematographer Matthew Lewis, (director) Philip Barantini and (co-creator) Jack Thorne for their expertise.
He believed it to be better than anything he's seen, adding, "It is courageous in not missing a single nuance..."
Explaining his envy, he cited Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos' recent post that read, “Every once and awhile one comes along that pushes into brand new territories, defies the limits of creativity and features career defining performances."
Kashyap continued, "I hope he means it... Netflix.in is a totally opposite shitshow."
The director criticised Netflix’s leadership, particularly CEO Ted Sarandos and Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria, accusing them of prioritising subscriber growth over artistic integrity. He alleged that if a series like Adolescence had been pitched to Netflix India, it would likely have been rejected or reduced to a conventional film with a clear-cut narrative.
Reflecting on his own experiences with the streaming giant, Kashyap recounted the challenges he faced while working on Sacred Games and subsequent projects. He described the Indian content team as lacking “empathy, courage, and vision,” further attributing their decisions to a mix of insecurity and corporate indecision.
"How do we ever create something so powerful and honest with a bunch of most dishonest and morally corrupt @netflix.in backed so strongly by the boss in LA. This hypocrisy of Ted and Bella via a vis the Indian market of 1.4 billion people, where there only interest is increase in subscriptions and nothing else," he added.
He noted that was a time when (producer) Eric Barmack would personally reach out on Facebook to collaborate on projects for Netflix. Now, in stark contrast, the platform hands you a poorly conceived show like Saare Jahan Se Achcha — a half-baked production with an underdeveloped script. The project, unsurprisingly, has already gone through multiple directors and has been shot twice.
"It makes me frustrated, jealous of shows like Adolescence and envious and hopeless," Kashyap explained. "I hope they learn from the reception of it and realise that all the best things Indian Netflix does is mostly either acquired (Delhi Crime, Black Warrant) or the ones they least believed in (Kohrra, Trial By Fire)."
Kashyap’s frustration reflects a broader struggle for filmmakers navigating a streaming market that prioritises numbers over nuance. As global platforms expand in India, the balance between artistic integrity and commercial viability remains a pressing concern.