Now, when it comes to the production of global shows or streaming them, Netflix is indeed the ‘big daddy.’ But in the case of the regional market, especially on the Asian side of things, even though there are quite a few brilliant shows like Squid Game and Little Things, the streaming giant seems to be following a policy of ignorance, which is upsetting a group of fans.
If we now turn our attention to the Indian market, Netflix has a rather ambiguous strategy. Over the years, Netflix has produced numerous originals, and among them, some were entertaining, while most eroded our trust in the platform.
In terms of producing originals in Netflix India, they have given us some gems such as Sacred Games Season 1, Delhi Crime, and Taj Mahal 1989. However, there is indeed a pattern that can be observed from a distance of five miles. Most of the series that are successful or are heavily promoted by the platform itself are either in Hindi or from the northern part of India. The south seems to be missing from the lineup.
Since 2018, Netflix has produced 37 original scripted shows as India-made originals. Now, the number might seem quite alluring at first glance, but that couldn’t be further from the truth, as only 3 of these shows are made in Tamil or Telugu. There is a complete absence of Kannada or Malayalam content.
Even in terms of documentaries and docuseries, the trend remains the same. Among the 11 docuseries they have produced, only 2 are from the southern part of India, both in Kannada. In the documentary category, out of the 7 documentaries, only one is in Tamil, making it the sole South Indian language featured on the list.
In the field of feature films, Netflix has been involved in 62 Indian projects, and shamefully, only three of them are from the southern part of the country. For the public’s information, there is even one by Raj and D.K. with a 7.9 IMDb rating that most people haven’t even heard about.
Obviously, Hindi series tend to sell more, as most of the highest-rated series fall into this category, and they are also promoted the most. Just take a look at the recent advertisements; “The Archies” is indeed a big deal, benefiting from being a Zoya Akhtar film and a debut for many star kids. It’s bound to grab attention. However, for most South Indian content, they not only go unnoticed but also face this fate due to under-advertisement.
Take the case of “Elephant Whisperers,” for example. This Tamil documentary was so poorly advertised that only a handful of people were aware of its existence, let alone who streamed it. It was only after the documentary won an Oscar that Netflix started advertising it out of nowhere.
India is indeed a diverse and complex market. Even in terms of culture, it is more diverse than many existing countries, making it challenging to represent all aspects of the nation, whether on a cultural or linguistic basis. However, the significant imbalance in the content lineup does seem to reflect a certain bias.
Even right now, if we talk about their upcoming projects, none come from the southern part of the country, and this is absolutely shameful. Hindi is indeed the poster boy of content, but the discrimination that the platform is showing against the southern part is somewhat despicable.
