Anurag Kashyap slams Netflix India’s hypocrisy, says "their only interest is an increase in subscriptions and nothing else"

Anurag Kashyap criticises Netflix India creators

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has openly expressed his frustration and disapproval towards Netflix’s approach to greenlighting content for the Indian market, accusing the platform’s top brass of hypocrisy.

The director took to Instagram on Wednesday to share his admiration for the British Netflix drama Adolescence, a series that left him feeling both envious and frustrated, as he believes Indian filmmakers are not afforded the same creative freedom.

In his post, Kashyap lauded the performances in Adolescence, particularly those of child actor Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham, who not only stars as the father but is also the co-creator of the show.

However, the praise for Adolescence quickly turned into a complaint about Netflix’s treatment of Indian content. Kashyap called out Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos and Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria for their “hypocrisy” in handling Indian projects.

He referred to a post by Sarandos where he spoke about the platform's commitment to creativity and career-defining performances. Kashyap sharply remarked, "If they were pitched this, most probably they would have rejected it or turned it into a 90-minute film."

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A post shared by Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap10)

He went on to voice his frustration about his own experience working with Netflix on Sacred Games, a series he created for the platform. "Having gone through twice with them post Sacred Games and dealing with total lack of empathy, courage, and dumbness mixed with immense insecurity of the series head and the team that keeps getting fired, it frustrates me," he wrote.

The filmmaker didn’t hold back in calling out the platform’s lack of genuine interest in the Indian market. "This hypocrisy of Ted and Bela Bajaria for the Indian market of 1.4 billion people, where their only interest is an increase in subscriptions and nothing else," he added. He referenced shows like Saare Jahan Se Achcha, which he deemed poorly written and “half-baked,” as examples of Netflix’s flawed approach.

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Despite his frustrations, Kashyap ended his tirade on a note of hope, acknowledging that some of Netflix India’s best content, such as Delhi Crime, Kohrra, and Trial by Fire, had been acquired or developed when the platform had minimal belief in them. "Fingers crossed for a better future," he wrote.

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Adolescence, a British miniseries created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, follows a 13-year-old boy accused of murder. The series, celebrated for its unique approach of shooting each scene in a single take, has been widely praised since its release on March 13.