Why did Netflix reach lockup?: The story of India’s biggest OTT’s biggest restlessness, pressure and changing market.

Netflix in India has big stars, big budgets and global recognition. Still, it could not create a cultural impact like Amazon Prime, JioHotstar and other OTT platforms. The question is not just about the flop show, but also about connecting with the audience. While other platforms were successful in creating characters and stories that became part of the public conversation, many of Netflix’s popular projects were forgotten shortly after release. Now the question is, where did Netflix go wrong in the Indian market and how big a test will ‘Lockup’ prove to be for it? To understand this, we talked to director Vivek Sharma, writer Dheeraj Mishra and trade analyst Atul Mohan. Netflix’s biggest challenge is not just flop shows, it is also distance from the Indian audience. Netflix is ​​often criticized in India for the fact that many of its big projects have not performed as per expectations. But the problem is not just about flop shows or weak viewership. The question is whether Netflix has been able to create the same emotional and cultural connect with the Indian audience that its competing platforms have. Today, success in the Indian entertainment market is not determined by viewership alone. Success is considered when the characters become a part of people’s conversations, the dialogues reach common parlance beyond social media and the audience waits for the next season. This is where Netflix appears to struggle. Film director Vivek Sharma says that initially OTT platforms were expected to become a platform for new filmmakers, new stories and different content. But with time many platforms became part of the same system, due to which change was expected. According to him, Netflix relied excessively on big stars and big banners, while new ideas and talent did not get the expected space. Amazon creates characters, Netflix creates projects If we choose the biggest winner of the Indian OTT market, then Amazon Prime Video appears to be ahead. The reason is not just a good series but building a strong franchise. Kaleen Bhaiya, Guddu Pandit, Shrikant Tiwari, Hathiram Choudhary and Sachiv Ji are no longer just characters, but have become a part of Indian pop culture. According to Ormax Media, Shahid Kapoor and Vijay Sethupathi’s ‘Ferzi’ became India’s most watched SVOD series with 3.71 crore viewers. Whereas ‘Mirzapur’ and ‘Panchayat’ are still a part of the audience’s conversation. ‘Mirzapur’ is not just a series. A film is also being made on it. His characters have a distinct identity and his world is still alive in the minds of the audience. Vivek Sharma says that big actors can create initial buzz for any project, but only that content which has new thinking, strong story and memorable characters lasts for a long time. According to him, audiences now want not just stars but content that can give them new experiences. This is an area where Amazon Prime and other platforms appear to be ahead of Netflix. Bet on big stars, but what is left behind? Netflix has worked with almost every big artist over the years. Names like Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Madhuri Dixit, Trupti Dimri, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Rajkummar Rao, Vijay Verma and Bobby Deol have been part of his strategy. But the question is that despite these big names, how many projects were able to stay among the audience for a long time. Saif Ali Khan’s recent projects ‘Kartavya’ and ‘Jewel Thief’ received a lot of buzz before their release. Trailers were launched, interviews were conducted and social media campaigns were also conducted. But after release they could not make the cultural impact that was expected from a project of their stature. Similarly, there was a discussion on social media about Madhuri Dixit and Trupti Dimri’s ‘mother-sister’ relationship, but it cooled down within a few weeks. Vivek Sharma says that the problem is not in the artists, but in the thinking which chooses the safe option again and again. According to him, in recent years, big artists have been used in big projects, but the way they were presented lacked innovation and creative depth. Crisis of content or crisis of vision? Netflix’s challenges cannot be seen limited to just weak projects. The question is also whether the platform has a clear content vision for the Indian market. Vivek Sharma believes that this is the biggest problem. According to him, many times decisions are taken under the influence of relationships, lobbies and established groups instead of creativity. The same banner or production house gets big projects again and again, while new people and new ideas do not get enough opportunities. Vivek Sharma says that many people are taking decisions related to content who themselves have not achieved great success at the creative level. In such an environment, it becomes difficult for new ideas and fresh content to come. According to him, Netflix needs serious introspection. It will have to decide whether it wants to be a platform only for big names or also a platform for new talents and new stories. India has changed, has Netflix also changed? According to Ormax’s 2025 report, the number of OTT viewers in India has reached more than 60 crores. Now this market is not limited to just metros and English speaking audiences. Small cities, towns, families and regional audiences have become its biggest strength. Writer Dheeraj Mishra believes that Netflix was late in catching the pulse of the common Indian audience. According to him, in the initial phase, the shows of the platform were technically strong and were liked by the audience in the metros, but their connect with the larger audience remained limited. Dheeraj Mishra says that during this time, other OTT platforms brought such shows and films whose stories and characters were closer to the common Indian audience. For this reason he rapidly strengthened his hold. Trade analyst Atul Mohan believes that Netflix’s initial positioning also led to its limitations. From the beginning it presented itself as a premium platform. Its price was higher than other OTT platforms, whereas India is a price-sensitive market. According to Atul Mohan, Amazon Prime, JioHotstar and other platforms were successful in providing more value at a lower price. Especially shows like ‘Panchayat’ reached the audience who saw themselves in those stories. Will Lockup Save or Expose Netflix? At such a time, Netflix’s move towards reality format like ‘Lockup’ is considered interesting. Dheeraj Mishra says that when Ekta Kapoor’s ‘Lock Up’ came on MX Player, it got a good response. The main reason for this was that MX Player was considered a platform for the general Indian audience. According to him, if Netflix is ​​now moving in this direction, it means that it is trying to understand the Indian market and the large audience better. Also, it is getting the support of a producer like Ekta Kapoor, who is considered a producer who has a good understanding of audience choice and successful content. If ‘Lockup’ is successful, it could prove that Netflix is ​​now moving towards a wider Indian audience. But if this experiment also does not succeed as expected, then the question will become more serious as to which is the format in India in which Netflix can really capture the pulse of the audience. Conclusion: The biggest problem of Netflix in India is not just the content, but also the connection and content vision. According to Vivek Sharma, the platform will have to make more space for new filmmakers, new talent and new ideas. Dheeraj Mishra believes that he has to better understand the likes and sentiments of the common Indian audience. According to Atul Mohan, its premium positioning and expensive membership have also been limiting its reach. Netflix has the money, the technology, global recognition, and big stars. But success in the Indian market does not come only from big names. Here the audience wants characters and stories with which they can connect and which feel close to their own world. Perhaps this is why Netflix is ​​at such a juncture today where it needs not only new shows but also a new perspective. The question is not whether Netflix can create content or not. The question is whether he can create content that can make a place in the hearts and memories of the Indian audience.



Source link