'Sacred Games': Netflix eyes Bollywood to boost growth in India
Sacred Games
Netflix launches an original show titled 'Sacred Games' on July 6.
As consumption pattern of media and entertainment witnesses a change in India, streaming platform Netflix capitalises on Bollywood to tap into the country’s massive audience. To take their game one step ahead of its competition like Amazon Prime or others, Netflix is now out with a new Hindi-language thriller series set in Mumbai, "Sacred Games".
The streaming platform makers are now trying India as a market after successfully launching and reaping the benefits of US shows like "House of Cards," "Orange is the New Black" and "Stranger Things" among others.
Understanding that content that has a local flavour hits the right note with the audience, they are enthusiastic about making stuff for an Indian audience, using stories from the country portrayed by familiar important faces.
"Sacred Games"starring Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Anurag Kashyap and Radhika Apte among others will star Khan as a policeman with 25 days until a terrorist threat to Mumbai becomes a reality. The series will air its first episode on July 6, just a month apart from the widely successful Lust Stories that strengthened Netflix’s line of thinking.
Netflix is spending $8 billion this year on original content and has said that figure will rise as it seeks to cement its position at the head of the streaming industry globally. The company’s international streaming revenue grew over 58 per cent last year, according to latest filings.
India wins over China as the latter is a heavily censored market. India, however, is at the centre of the growth of content on streaming platforms. This year Netflix will release at least three original shows while Amazon has 10 planned.