With the number of screens in possession of Indian viewers increasing, those creating content for streaming video platforms seem to be taking fewer risks. Viewers from across the world, including streaming service subscribers in India, might have appreciated the craft and storytelling of Netflix’s Adolescence or HBO’s Task this year, but Indian producers mostly gravitate towards content that entertains a wider section of viewers. Driven by algorithms and a tendency to replicate templates that have worked in the past, Indian streamers are favouring star-led shows and films that promise safety over experimentation. The outcome: A year with fewer standout originals, even as platforms seem to be struggling to identify the next breakout title.
Notwithstanding the appreciation that shows like Netflix’s Black Warrant, Prime Video’s Khauf and SonyLiv’s The Hunt – The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case received, streaming video platforms have mainly focussed on franchises or new seasons of popular shows. The list includes Khakee: The Bengal Chapter on Netflix; Paatal Lok Season 2 and Panchayat Season 4 on Prime Video; and Criminal Justice: A Family Matter and Special Ops 2 on JioHotstar. What has further diluted the impact, if not reach of streamers, are actor-producer Aamir Khan’s decision to release his movie Sitaare Zameen Par on YouTube, where it’s available to rent for Rs 100, after its successful theatrical run.
Then there was the popularity of the 19-episode Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar, which is one of the most-watched shows of the year on JioHotstar, and the rebooting of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 —which premiered on StarPlus as well as streams digitally on JioHotstar.
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Calling this the ‘Smart TV Effect’, Smruti Choudhury, screenwriter and showrunner, says, “The initial wave of experimentation happened because people were binge-watching privately on smartphones. Now that smart TVs are commonplace, viewing has become ‘shared and family time’ again. This forces platforms into ‘safe slates’, mainly family dramas, and kills the potential for risky, edgy narratives.” With the attention span of viewers reducing, the makers are opting for tried-and-successful templates. “Somewhere, the appetite to do it in a new way has gone. We are not breaking that clutter, unlike the Apple TV shows The Studio or Pluribus. They are breaking that clutter by breaking the template,” says Sudeep Nigam, the writer of the web series Avrodh (2020-22).
When Choudhury shifted to Bhubaneswar earlier this year after working in Mumbai for years, she was struck by the strong realisation that OTT by and large is urban centric while in Tier-II cities and smaller towns, television is still the first choice in most households. Elaborating on this, the producer of Abhay (2019) and Hostel Daze (2021-22) says, “On OTT, a lot of times people watch catch-up TV. For example, they watch Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 on JioHotstar instead of streaming an original show. When satellite TV channels came in, they paved the way for several ground-breaking serials. Later, they pandered to popular choices and made saas-bahu shows. Similarly, when OTT came in, they experimented with different formats and content. Now, they have gone back to safer options.”
The rising popularity of micro dramas and second screen experiences (watching content on smartphones or tablets while television is on) are seen as factors that have contributed to the dumbing down of content on streaming services.
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According to Nigam, makers are asking for shows with shorter duration episodes that are easier to consume. He, however, does not believe that this trend will last long. Choudhury too notes that “the current hype around “second-screen” content feels manufactured by marketing gurus to create new revenue streams rather than a genuine consumer demand.
Gatekeeping is something many writers and directors have been disgruntled about for a while now, often blaming the strange parameters on the basis of which the shows are greenlit. Also, baffling is the decision to stall the making of new seasons of acclaimed shows. For example, Netflix reportedly stalled the shooting of the new season of Black Warrant recently. Since many of these decision makers are not creative people, they fall back on data or algorithms without having a proper understanding of content or the audience. This becomes even more challenging as the streamers are now eyeing to win over viewers in small towns. In such a scenario, having stars, they believe, will help in grabbing attention.
Streamers may soon face a disruption if YouTube emerges as a viable alternative for premium series. Last month, Perfect Family — produced by Pankaj Tripathi and featuring Gulshan Devaiah, Neha Dhupia, Manoj Pahwa and Seema Pahwa in the cast — opted for YouTube’s pay model, charging ₹59 for access to the final six episodes after the first two.
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Globally, YouTube is becoming a bigger player too. Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and YouTube announced a multi-year deal that will give the latter exclusive global rights to stream the Oscars ceremony beginning in 2029 and running through 2033 as well as showcase their year-round Academy programming.
As the lines between television, OTT and digital platforms blur, streaming services will have to rethink whether playing it safe can still deliver the disruption they once promised.
