iWorld
Indians binge watch Netflix faster than global average
MUMBAI: India saw a massive rise in Netflix binge-watching this year. Here’s a flashback at the most intriguing streaming moments that defined the platform’s viewership in 2017.
Netflix members around the world watched more than 140 million hours of TV shows, movies, documentaries and more per day – that’s about one billion hours per week. The average global member watched 60 movies on Netflix this year.
A member in India watched The SpongeBob SquarePants movie 171 times in 2017. The most popular day for streaming in India was 29 October 2017.
Indians binge watch faster (3 days) than the global average (4 days). Interestingly, while Indians are among the top mobile downloaders in the world for Netflix content, TV devices continue to be important for streaming, with more than a third (34 per cent) of Netflix viewing hours in India being through connected TVs.
Narcos, Stranger Things and 13 Reasons Why were the top watched shows in India. Shows that got the family on the couch included Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, Fuller House and Riverdale. In some cases, more than two hours were given to shows such as Marvel’s Iron Fist and The Defenders along with sci-fi series The Mist. Shows that were seen for a little less than two hours were Neo Yokio, Big Mouth, You Me Her and One Day at a Time.
The Shows That Got India Cheating in 2017
We couldn’t resist the thrill of a thrill and shamelessly watched ahead of our significant others on Narcos, Stranger Things, Mindhunter and more.
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1. Narcos 2. Stranger Things 3. 13 Reasons Why 4. Mindhunter 5. Black Mirror |
6. Marvel’s the Defenders 7. Orange is the New Black 8. Riverdale 9. The Crown 10. Better Call Saul |
The Shows That Brought India Together in 2017
Whether for adventure, Chief Hopper or bromance (#DadSteve), Netflix members ranked Stranger Things as the top show to watch together as a family. Nostalgia also scored top points for family watching via Star Trek: Discovery, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life and Fuller House.
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1. Stranger Things 2. 13 Reasons Why 3. Chef’s Table 4. Riverdale 5. Star Trek: Discovery |
6. ASQUE 7. Fuller House 8. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life 9. Atypical 10. The Good Place |
The Shows India Devoured in 2017
We took an escape from reality, sought thrill and adventure, by devouring (watching more than two hours per day) superhero shows likeMarvel’s Iron Fist and Marvel’s The Defenders as well as sci-fi series The Mist.
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1. My Only Love Song 2. 13 Reasons Why 3. Marvel’s Iron Fist 4. The Mist 5. Shooter |
6. Riverdale 7. Terrace House: Aloha State 8. Greenleaf 9. American Vandal 10. Marvel’s The Defenders |
The Shows India Savored in 2017
We savoured (watching less than two hours per day) the heartwarming moments in shows such as Neo Yokio, Big Mouth, You Me Her and One Day at a Time.
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1. Midnight Diner: Tokyo Series 2. Samurai Gourmet 3. Big Mouth 4. Disjointed 5. Neo Yokio |
6. You Me Her 7. The Crown 8. One Day at a Time 9. ASQUE 10. The Confession Tapes |
iWorld
Streaming boom crosses 200 million as India shifts to sustainable growth
From content bets to CTV rise, industry leaders map streaming’s next phase
MUMBAI: India’s streaming story has entered a new chapter, and this time it is less about land grab and more about staying power. At a panel on the evolving streaming economy, industry leaders agreed that with subscriptions crossing 200 million and revenues surging, the focus has decisively shifted to sustainable growth, smarter content bets and sharper partnerships.
Moderator EY partner Raghav Anand, set the tone by pointing to the sharp jump in paid subscriptions, driven by a mix of sports, bundling and improved distribution. The result is a fast-maturing ecosystem where subscription revenues are beginning to complement, and in some cases rival, advertising-led growth.
For Amazon Prime Video Svod business India director & head Shilangi Mukherji, the past decade has been about balancing choice with clarity. “It’s not an either-or market anymore,” she noted. “There is space for everything, from television to ad-supported streaming to subscriptions. The real win is when they all grow together.”
At the heart of this growth lies a simple trio: selection, value and convenience. Content remains king, but not in isolation. Platforms are now curating vast libraries that blend originals, rentals, and third-party services, all under one roof. The aim is to create an ecosystem where viewers do not need to hop between apps to find what they want.
Content itself is also evolving. Mukherji highlighted that nearly half of Prime Video’s viewership comes from outside a show’s home region, underlining the collapse of traditional language silos. Stories are no longer “regional” but increasingly pan-Indian, with talent and narratives travelling seamlessly across states.
Franchise-building has become another cornerstone, with a majority of shows designed for multiple seasons. The goal is not just to attract viewers but to keep them coming back, turning series into long-term cultural touchpoints rather than one-off hits.
On the production side, Hungama Digital Media managing director & CEO Neeraj Roy, described an industry that is both resilient and recalibrating. While the pandemic accelerated content consumption and discovery, it also reset market dynamics. Pre-sales have softened, satellite revenues have tightened, and the easy money phase of digital deals has cooled.
“The honeymoon is over,” Roy said candidly. “Now, content has to prove itself. If it works at the box office or with audiences, everything else follows.”
This shift, he argued, is pushing creators towards greater discipline. Fewer projects are being made, but with sharper focus on quality and audience appeal. At the same time, global exposure to diverse content, from Korean dramas to Malayalam cinema, has raised the bar for storytelling across the board.
Another quiet transformation is unfolding in how content is consumed. While mobile remains the primary gateway, especially for payments and discovery, connected TVs are fast becoming the preferred screen for long-form viewing. Mukherji described this not as a battle of devices but as a “force multiplier”, with platforms tailoring plans for mobile-only users, living room viewers and multi-device households alike.
The monetisation playbook is also widening. Beyond subscriptions and ads, platforms are experimenting with rentals, bundled offerings and commerce integrations, building layered revenue streams that cater to different stages of the consumer journey.
Looking ahead, both panellists pointed to global ambition as the next frontier. Mukherji emphasised taking Indian stories to the world through deeper localisation, calling content India’s soft power. Roy, meanwhile, stressed the need for investment in infrastructure, skills and, crucially, transparent data systems to guide creators with better insights.
If the first phase of India’s streaming boom was about scale, the next will be about substance. And as the industry settles into this new rhythm, one thing is clear: the real streaming wars may be over, but the race to win viewers’ time has only just begun.
