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Streaming Dreams and Story Schemes Mark Netflix’s Decade in India
MUMBAI: When Netflix arrived in India ten years ago, the streaming giant wasn’t just entering a new market, it was stepping into a nation obsessed with stories. From cricket to cinema, India has always lived in 16:9 emotion. A decade later, as Netflix celebrates its 10th anniversary here, it has become more than just a platform, it’s a pop-culture mood board, a social mirror, and occasionally, the nation’s favourite debate topic over dinner.
At FICCI Frames 2025, Netflix India, vice president of content Monika Shergill revisited the platform’s decade-long journey not as a corporate milestone, but as a cultural chronicle. “It’s been ten years of discovering stories that surprise even us,” she said with a smile. “India has taught us that there’s no such thing as one audience.”
Shergill’s words carried weight. In 2016, when Netflix launched in India, data plans were expensive, the idea of binge-watching was alien, and cable television ruled the roost. Yet, as she pointed out, “audiences were already hungry for something different, they just didn’t know where to find it.” That ‘something different’ soon arrived in the form of gritty, genre-bending originals like Sacred Games and Delhi Crime, titles that not only redefined Indian streaming but also caught the attention of global viewers.
“Shows like Delhi Crime proved that our stories don’t have to be diluted for global audiences,” Shergill noted. “They resonate precisely because they are authentic, rooted, and unapologetically Indian.”
Over the years, Netflix’s slate has stretched from the heartlands to the Himalayas, serving up thrillers, romcoms, docuseries, and biopics that mirror the country’s diversity. From Kota Factory’s monochrome melancholy to Khufiya’s cloak-and-dagger intrigue, every title seems to tap into a different emotion, language, and landscape proof that India doesn’t just contain multitudes, it streams them too.
But as Shergill highlighted, the real game-changer has been regional storytelling. “Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Bengali stories are not just finding local audiences, they’re travelling globally,” she said. “When you keep the essence local, you end up going global.” Indeed, viewership of Indian regional content on Netflix has shot up by more than 60 per cent in the past three years, while global viewing of Indian titles has doubled.
Beyond the data, there’s a shift in creative dynamics. Netflix’s approach to nurturing over 200 Indian writers, directors, and creators has created what Shergill calls “a sandbox for fearless storytelling.” Unlike theatrical cinema, where success is often measured by box-office numbers, the streaming space has allowed creators to focus on experimentation, representation, and emotional truth.
“Streaming has democratised creativity,” she said. “You could be a first-time director from Shillong or a veteran from Mumbai, your story gets the same chance to be discovered.”
That discovery is also increasingly shaped by technology. Shergill spoke of how algorithms, AI tools, and personalisation engines have made every viewer’s journey unique. “We often joke that no two people have the same Netflix,” she said. “But the magic lies in how tech quietly helps stories find the right audience, not the other way around.”
Of course, Netflix’s decade in India hasn’t been without its plot twists from the rise of fierce competition (DisneyPlus Hotstar, Prime Video, JioCinema, Zee5, SonyLiv, and more) to debates on pricing, censorship, and content localisation. Yet, as Shergill pointed out, these challenges have only sharpened the industry’s creative instincts. “Healthy competition means better stories,” she said. “It’s proof that the audience is winning.”
As India becomes one of Netflix’s fastest-growing markets, the company is doubling down on localisation not just through language, but through themes that reflect real India. Small-town aspirations, gender fluidity, generational conflict, and cultural nostalgia are no longer niche; they’re mainstream. “The stories that come from the heartland are the ones making it to hearts worldwide,” Shergill quipped.
The conversation also drifted to how streaming has blurred the lines between entertainment and experience. “Today, entertainment is no longer consumed,” she observed. “It’s lived, shared, and replayed. When people cry over a character or cheer for a show, they’re not just viewers, they’re participants.”
As FICCI Frames explored the theme of India’s creative economy, Shergill’s reflections summed up a decade where the screen became both a stage and a storyteller. “Streaming is not just about algorithms and recommendations,” she said. “It’s about emotion, connection, and the thrill of seeing your story on a global map.”
For Netflix, that map is only expanding. With new content partnerships, investments in regional studios, and a growing slate of originals, the next chapter seems poised for even more ambitious storytelling.
Ten years on, the red N has gone from being an app icon to an emotional bookmark in India’s entertainment story. And as Shergill reminded the audience, “Our best stories are still buffering and that’s the most exciting part.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
