Filmmaker Disappointed with OTT Industry’s Approach
One of India’s most influential directors, Anurag Kashyap, has come forward with his increasing frustration over OTT platforms and how they have affected the film industry. Kashyap, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, recently said that he has issues with how Netflix and Amazon Prime have grown to become not what they once promised to be-creative forces.
Shift of OTT Platforms from Bold to Safe Content
Kashyap admitted that when OTT platforms first landed in India, they were really needed as the alternative to cinemas. However, over time, Kashyap opines that they have become really risk-averse. “They’re too comfortable in their luxuries,” he criticized, adding that currently, OTT platforms are even banking on contents of theatrical releases rather than experimenting with new ideas.
“They all are from television. They have no experience of cinema. They do not understand cinema,” Kashyap said. He also pointed out that these streaming giants do not focus on creative freedom. Instead, they focus on becoming a mass attraction, thus releasing cookie-cutter content that eventually floods the internet.
Creative Discussions in the Film Industry
The director further complained about the OTT ecosystem lacking meaningful creative exchanges. According to Kashyap, people running these platforms are more interested in saving their jobs than taking risks on bold, original content. He said, “There are very few people that I can even have a creative conversation with.”. I don’t want to do anything that will make someone sit down with me and converse on saving a job or impose their position.
Indian Cinema- Future Hopes
Despite the justifications of his angst, Kashyap is optimistic about Indian cinema’s future. He feels that OTT will have its dark days and fall, making way for more innovative storytelling. “After we hit rock-bottom, we will make films again. Golden times are coming,” said Kashyap, waiting for the revival of great storytelling.
Earlier Contribution of Kashyap in OTT Content
Though Kashyap has been vocal about his displeasure with OTT platforms, his own work in the space has been notable. He co-directed Sacred Games, Netflix’s first original Indian series, alongside Vikramaditya Motwane, and later directed the Netflix anthologies Ghost Stories and Lust Stories. Despite his growing criticisms of the OTT industry, his work within the space has certainly left a mark, showing that he still has a stake in how digital platforms evolve.
Kashyap’s comments echo the growing unease among filmmakers that OTT is turning everything into a commercial venture and that its homogenizing effect on content is creating less creative and daring filmmaking, and it’s something many people in the industry can identify with.