A war of words has erupted between filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and television czarina Ektaa Kapoor after Kashyap's remarks about the popular “saas-bahu” genre of Indian television. The heated exchange began when Kashyap responded to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos’ recent remarks about the platform’s strategy in India and its early bet on the gritty crime drama Sacred Games.
Sarandos, on Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, reflected on Netflix’s initial content strategy in India. He admitted that, in hindsight, starting with something more “populist” might have been a better choice than Sacred Games. Responding to this, Anurag Kashyap posted a strongly-worded message on social media. He suggested that Sarandos should have gone with Saas-Bahu shows instead and mocked the Netflix CEO as the “definition of dumb.” Kashyap claimed that tech executives often lack storytelling insight and that Sacred Games was too nuanced for such a market.
However, it was his reference to “Saas-Bahu” shows that didn’t sit well with Ektaa Kapoor, one of the genre’s most prominent creators and producers. Kapoor, known for reshaping Indian television with her daily soaps like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, fired back at Kashyap via her Instagram stories. She didn’t hold back, calling him “dumb” and “classist.”
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“Ur so dumb… saying this put u on an advantage ‘I'm smarter cooler’ but naaaaaaaa! Darling how about gracious!!! N self aware??????” Kapoor wrote, clearly upset with the condescending tone of Kashyap’s comment. She further emphasized the impact that saas-bahu serials have had in India, citing a prestigious Chicago-based research that documented how these shows gave a voice to women in mass India.
In a pointed jab, Kapoor accused artists like Kashyap of perpetuating classism while preaching inclusivity. “We must do away with this ‘U can't sit with us we r better’ attitude for democracy n fair play!” she added.
The spat has sparked a larger conversation around elitism, representation, and the role of mainstream content in shaping societal narratives. While Kashyap is celebrated for his gritty, realistic storytelling, Kapoor reminded audiences that mass content, too, can be powerful and transformative.
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