- Wednesday, March 19, 2025
By: Vibhuti Pathak
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has launched a scathing critique of Netflix India, calling out its alleged hypocrisy and lack of creative vision. While praising the British Netflix drama Adolescence, he expressed frustration over how Indian filmmakers are denied the opportunity to create similarly bold content.
Taking to Instagram, Kashyap praised Adolescence for its groundbreaking execution and powerful performances. “I am numb and envious and jealous that someone can go and make that,” he wrote. He applauded the show’s lead actors, Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham, the latter also serving as the show’s co-creator. Kashyap was particularly impressed by the intense preparation and one-shot execution of every episode.
However, his admiration for Adolescence was quickly overshadowed by his deep resentment toward Netflix India. In the comments section of his post, Kashyap directly addressed Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos and Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria, calling them out for their double standards. He argued that Netflix would never greenlight a series like Adolescence for the Indian market. “If they were pitched this, most probably they would have rejected it or turned it into a 90-minute film,” he wrote, highlighting how Netflix India prefers commercially safe content over experimental storytelling.
Kashyap further criticized Netflix India’s leadership, calling them “dishonest and morally corrupt.” He shared his own negative experience with the platform, stating that he encountered a “total lack of empathy, courage, and dumbness mixed with immense insecurity” while working with Netflix after Sacred Games. According to him, the decision-making team constantly changes, with key figures getting fired frequently, leading to inconsistency in content quality.
Kashyap accused Netflix India of prioritizing subscription numbers over artistic integrity. “This hypocrisy of Ted and Bela vis-à-vis the Indian market of 1.4 billion people, where their only interest is an increase in subscriptions and nothing else,” he wrote. He reminisced about a time when Netflix, under Eric Barmack, was more open to risk-taking projects but lamented that the platform now produces “half-baked” shows that lack depth and vision.
Despite his harsh criticism, Kashyap concluded on a slightly hopeful note. He pointed out that some of the best Indian content on Netflix, such as Delhi Crime, Black Warrant, Kohrra, and Trial by Fire, was either acquired or received minimal backing from the platform. “Fingers crossed for a better future,” he added, hoping that Netflix India would learn from the global success of Adolescence and start supporting bolder storytelling in India.
Meanwhile, Adolescence, created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, continues to receive critical acclaim. The British miniseries, which follows a 13-year-old boy accused of murder, has been praised for its gripping narrative and technical brilliance, with each scene shot in a single take.
