New Delhi: Famous director Anurag Kashyap has recently shifted his focus to the streaming sector, venting his frustration with companies like Apple, Netflix, and Amazon. In a candid interview with The Hindu, Kashyap accused these behemoths of putting subscriptions ahead of quality content, claiming that their emphasis on analytics is “dumbing down” consumers and suffocating cinematic creativity.
Reflecting on his previous collaborations, Anurag Kashyap remembers the promise of creative freedom when platforms such as Netflix first entered India. He said, “When we did Sacred Games and Lust Stories, when Netflix came in, we thought this was an opportunity. And it seemed like an opportunity; we created some very good work with them,” he said. However, he noted a sharp decline in ambition around the COVID-19 pandemic, adding, “And then, slowly, roughly around the time of Covid, everything turned around again. Now what they’re doing is worse than television.”
He lamented the shift in focus during the pandemic, where creative storytelling took a backseat to data-driven decisions. “Now you go in there, and they want to dumb you down. At the end of the day, all these companies, whether it’s Netflix or Amazon or Apple, they’re coming to India because data is the new oil,” he said.
OTT Platforms are Maximizing Profits
The director said that streaming services have become more sensitive, unwilling to offend, and focused on viewing numbers rather than encouraging daring or controversial stories.
“Subscription is what they’re looking for. With a 1.4 billion population, they want to maximise their subscription. They want to reach out to everyone, they don’t want to offend anyone. They don’t want to create art or cinema, they’re creating content,” he said.
As for Kashyap’s career, the release date of Kennedy, his most recent directorial effort, in India has not been announced yet. On the other hand, he made guest appearances in the recent flicks Viduthalai Part 2 and Rifle Club.
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