India is growth market for Netflix with local content as fuel

“Our content will get deeper and deeper in the next few months. We don’t want to get anything you can get; we want to make sure you get something that is of high quality,” a Netflix spokesperson told indianexpress.com. In the recent months, Netflix has got exclusive rights to stream S S Rajamouli’s Baahubali series and Aamir Khan’s Dangal. It has also signed a deal with Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment.

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Netflix says it is “very specific” when it comes to choosing the right content for its subscribers in India. The focus has been focusing on creating original shows for the local audience that it believes will further establish the Netflix brand in the country. ‘Selection Day’, ‘Again’ and ‘Sacred Games’ have been announced as original shows originating from India apart from its first animated original show for kids which will be based on ‘Chotta Bheem’.

Netflix has been a game changer in the TV and movie industry, but it still has a long way to go when it comes to making its presence felt in the country. Its biggest rival in India is Amazon, which has also been focusing on local content. For Netflix, the strategy of investing in exclusive local content has been a fairly successful model in most countries.

Disclaimer: The reporter is in Singapore on the invite of Netflix