Discussion Netflix CEO frustrated over failure in India, share fell 20% and more

[Prithi Deb]

I get it, you watch everything and anything Netflix will put out. Most people aren't that way.

What do you mean I watch "everything and anything Netflix will put out"? Have you even seen what I post on the reviews & recommendations thread? I watch content from every platform & every language. I have watched many shows you have recommended as well. I watch returning shows as soon as they release, but watch new shows only when I hear/see good reviews from friends/family/SNS/OTF. I don't watch everything & anything" Netflix, or any platform for that matter, puts out. And you said you watch only English. That's drastically narrowing it down considering what Netflix has in it's library. I know it also depends on the taste of the person. I guess you are more into the serious stuff than the YA stuff. Regardless of that, they also have good English shows as well.

I can gladly accept all of the issues with Netflix that you guys presently. But I am definitely not accepting that Netflix has a lack of quality content.

 

[iDJ]

Piracy wins more hearts than Netflix in India! If they charges more, then why they can't stop piracy of their movies in India?

Very minority of audience pirates. Cuz, it's not easily available. If every content provider comes together and get Telegram banned or take legal action like they did with VK. Than only they can win against pirates.

 

[rohan7]

Netflix should create better content which is regional and cultural wt* is fabulous lives of Bollywood Wives ?

 

[iDJ]

In my opinion Netflix is not a family oriented is the major draw back

It's intentional to be vulgar these days on any any platform in the name of art. Art is just an excuse. Cussing in Mirzapur and Gangs of Wasseypur makes sense. It's a series/movie about thugs and gangs. In another shows it's just there for the sake of it. Take Serious Men as an example. It is a movie that could be easily watched with not only family but with kids too. Guess what? Can't be watched without family. Because of one scene. This happens to every other show. Even Scam 1992 could've avoided cussing. But they had too.

Remember the movie Sholay. It's an iconic movie. It didn't had any BC or MC. I don't even know or want to know any other words. This is so discouraging to many to be exposed to these things.

 

[marvel44]

And you said you watch only English. That's drastically narrowing it down considering what Netflix has in it's library.

Yes, English content is my priority. That doesn't mean I don't watch any other content that they or any other platform if they put out. My cousin whose sub I occasionally use to watch Netflix shows, is like a freak and watches foreign content from almost every country. You wouldn't even heard the names of the shows he tend to watch. He has only suggested two shows from Netflix catalogue this year to watch ie., The Chestnut Man and Squid Game.

I guess you are more into the serious stuff than the YA stuff. Regardless of that, they also have good English shows as well.

I watch all kinds of content. I don't limit myself to some particular genre. I have mentioned that I liked Sweet Tooth and Shadow and Bone, they are more YA stuff than General Entertainment.

Finally, I don't want to start an argument with any one much less on a content offered by a streaming service. It's a choice and preference. I will prefer Hotstar's for English contents and Amazon's for11 Indian catalogue than Netflix's any day of the week and what I said, you tend watch more or less everything which broadens you scope for the love of the platform. Anyway, it's you paying for the service, if you have absolute love for the platform then it's a good thing.

The only thing about your views which I don't like and you shouldn't have said that people have blind hate towards Netflix. Most of the people who are discussing are mostly who had been subscription holders in the past. Its not a good take from you.

 

[Prithi Deb]

Finally, I don't want to start an argument with any one much less on a content offered by a streaming service. It's a choice and preference. I will prefer Hotstar's for English contents and Amazon's for11 Indian catalogue than Netflix's any day of the week and what I said, you tend watch more or less everything which broadens you scope for the love of the platform. Anyway, it's you paying for the service, if you have absolute love for the platform then it's a good thing.

The only thing about your views which I don't like and you shouldn't have said that people have blind hate towards Netflix. Most of the people who are discussing are mostly who had been subscription holders in the past. Its not a good take from you.

My problem is that people can find and praise the good content on other platforms, which obviously has many bad content as well. But in case of Netflix, people are judging the entirety of it's library by only the bad content.

I am not saying other platforms suck. Infact, my all-time favourite show, The Boys, is a Amazon Original. Just like every platform has good shows, Netflix has good shows as well. Don't just dismiss that. It might not be up to your taste, that's a whole different thing. Don't just give a generalised verdict. They have a different set of audience.

Look at what Viki is charging just for Asian Drama & Crunchyroll (which doesn't even have that many content in India) is charging for just anime. Meanwhile, Netflix provides both of them and more under one platform. You feel like watching Asian Drama? It's There. Anime? It's there. English? Indian? Spanish? Turkish? It's all there. Under one subscription. Meanwhile other platforms deal with only Indian and English mostly. I thought I could now finally watch weekly K-Drama on Hotstar as well, but we know what happened.

I don't know if you guys understood what I am wanting to say. I can't make myself any clearer.

 

[rohitvatsa]

Actually i would like to see how Hotstar fares if they lose IPL rights.Personally i feel that Hotstar has worst content among the big 3 i.e Netflix,Prime Video and Hotstar.Netflix for me has 2 options either to drastically reduce the price or increase the number of screens in its lowest plan or has to bundle some other service like prime offers.Since later is improbable,they should follow the idea successfully implemented by Jio,take hit for 3-4 years and then gradually increase the price once people are addicted to it.The Young generation would definitely watch Netflix for the vast English content it has and gradually anyway Netflix is trying to localize the content.India is such a big market for Netflix and i hope they realize it sooner than later.

 

[iDJ]

Actually i would like to see how Hotstar fares if they lose IPL rights.Personally i feel that Hotstar has worst content among the big 3 i.e Netflix,Prime Video and Hotstar.Netflix for me has 2 options either to drastically reduce the price or increase the number of screens in its lowest plan or has to bundle some other service like prime offers.Since later is improbable,they should follow the idea successfully implemented by Jio,take hit for 3-4 years and then gradually increase the price once people are addicted to it.The Young generation would definitely watch Netflix for the vast English content it has and gradually anyway Netflix is trying to localize the content.India is such a big market for Netflix and i hope they realize it sooner than later.

How can you say Hotstar has the worst content among big 3? They have content from the biggest studios in the world. They got Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, 21st Century Fox, Nat Geo, FX, HBO, Hulu, Star India and FreeForm. They also got rights of some of the most premium sporting events Premier League, F1, Wimbledon, ICC, BCCI, IPL, FIH and One Championship. Some movies like Free Guy is available in India months before US. What more do you expect?

 

[rohitvatsa]

How can you say Hotstar has the worst content among big 3? They have content from the biggest studios in the world. They got Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, 21st Century Fox, Nat Geo, FX, HBO, Hulu, Star India and FreeForm. They also got rights of some of the most premium sporting events Premier League, F1, Wimbledon, ICC, BCCI, IPL, FIH and One Championship. Some movies like Free Guy is available in India months before US. What more do you expect?

I feel that for major part of last 2-3 year their attempt to have a decent content has been absymal.An OTT provider which can boast of merely 1 local successful show every year can't survive merely on basis of collaboration with Disney and coming with mediocre movies which wanted to gather some money due to theatres lockdown provided it loses its USP i.e IPL.

 

[Ashok Varma]

Actually i would like to see how Hotstar fares if they lose IPL rights.Personally i feel that Hotstar has worst content among the big 3 i.e Netflix,Prime Video and Hotstar.Netflix for me has 2 options either to drastically reduce the price or increase the number of screens in its lowest plan or has to bundle some other service like prime offers.Since later is improbable,they should follow the idea successfully implemented by Jio,take hit for 3-4 years and then gradually increase the price once people are addicted to it.The Young generation would definitely watch Netflix for the vast English content it has and gradually anyway Netflix is trying to localize the content.India is such a big market for Netflix and i hope they realize it sooner than later.

Most of Indians can't pay morethan Rs.2000 per annum for any OTT even with unlimited content. Netflix should realize first as fierce completion in India and even in USA.