Those who do not flow with the wave uproot themselves. Currently, a nationalistic wave is surging in India. Everything against the nation or its culture is being rejected thoroughly by India. Netflix, a US-based OTT platform, was hoping to get a piece of the gigantic Indian OTT market but seems to have been rejected by the market itself. So, what are the reasons behind the failure of the American platform? Well, let’s have a look.
Failed in numbers
Netflix’s cofounder Reed Hastings expressed his frustration of not being able to tap the big India OTT market and said, “The thing that frustrates us is why we haven’t been as successful in India.”
According to the report All About Screens, the paid subscribers for the OTT platform are expected to be around 224 million by 2026 from its current number of about 102 million. With a 41% of share Disney+ Hotstar is leading in the big Indian OTT market and with 7% of the share, Netflix is stuck in the fourth number. Other platforms like Eros Now with 24% & Amazon Prime Video with 9% have captured the second & third spot respectively.
Although, every consumer prefers the best deal for the price they paid. But the Indian market is mostly inclined towards price with respect to the contents. The competitiveness in the OTT market has given an alternate choice to the people. At a lower price than Netflix, people can opt for other platforms with content they can relate to.
Read More: Netflix stock sinks by 22% and a lot of it has to do with India
Inbuild Wokeism
The biggest reason for the failure of Netflix can be attributed to its woke content. The American OTT platform hoped to carve out a market share for itself by appealing to the liberal community in India. However, in doing so, Netflix followed its woke tactics and promoted Hinduphobic content.
The OTT platform should perhaps take a look at Bollywood to understand how the Indian audience is evolving. The growing nationalist & civilizational consciousness has given a strong shock to the Hinduphobic & anti-cultured Urduwood industry. The back-to-back failure of big star’s movies has given a reflection lesson to Bollywood to stay away from the Hinduphobic content.
Read More: From 2017 onwards, how Indian audience is evolving
Along the same line, Netflix web series like Leila depict a dystopian Hindu Oppressive state, which portrays that in the name of religion, the individuals aren’t given their basic rights. However, such an oppressive Hindu state is a piece of fiction at best, unrelated to the current scenario and unlikely to happen soon.
Moreover, the second season of ‘Sacred Games shows Hinduphobia and Indophobia on another level altogether. Here, a Sanatani teacher is not only venomous but is also ready to blow up an entire city in order to achieve his goals.
Recently, another series “He’s Expecting” was released on 21 April. In which a ‘pregnant man’ is being shown to spot a light on gender neutrality. But in the name of gender neutrality, woke culture cannot be expected, especially in India.
Yesterday, Netflix’s share price fell by 25% and it lost 2 lakh subscribers this quarter. Many online users are arguing the fall in shares and subscribers is related to its woke content like ‘He’s Expecting.
https://twitter.com/LozzaFox/status/1516702771575242758
Read More: Finally! Complaint filed against Netflix for its anti-Hindu propaganda
Content Psychology
The market is the best balancer of any economic activity. The available choice in the market creates a competitive market and it helps businesses to mould according to demand and supply.
The question Netflix must ask itself is simple. What does India want? The answer to that is even simpler. Take a look at Disney+ Hotstar.
The top Indian OTT platform, Disney+ Hotstar has cracked the Indian taste in the entertainment industry. Its success lies in its content related to cricket and other sports. Knowing the craze of cricket in India, it offered a sports option with other entertainment genres like movies, web series, or documentaries with a subscription. Further, it has a tie-up with the biggest network provider Jio, to offer a stimulated content of Jio & Disney+ Hotstar.
Read More: Hindus watch to oppose it, others to enjoy it – How Netflix turned anti-Hindu content into a genre
What India prefers is to watch desi content. The Indian OTT market is a highly charged entity. One wrong step and the market will reject you. The message is loud and clear. Either sail with the tide or sink to the bottom. It is up to Netflix if it wants to save its future in India.
