Anurag Kashyap criticises OTT platforms for hindering creative growth
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Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has voiced his disappointment with the current state of OTT platforms in India, accusing them of stifling creative expression and prioritising profits over innovation.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kashyap expressed his frustrations, claiming that streaming platforms, once a beacon of hope for Indian cinema, are now reluctant to take risks and focus on formulaic content.
Kashyap highlighted how platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime initially disrupted the entertainment market, offering fresh opportunities for creators. However, he said that over time, these platforms have lost their creative spark, choosing to bank on content with proven theatrical success rather than original ideas.
"The people running these OTTs often come from TV backgrounds and lack cinema experience," Kashyap said, criticising their singular focus on increasing subscribers. "To grow their subscriber base, they feel the need to dumb down the content."
He also pointed out that the top streaming platforms in India are multinational corporations, not Indian-origin companies, and their accountability to global headquarters often leads to risk-averse strategies. "This leash on creativity is frustrating," he added.
Kashyap expressed dissatisfaction with the executives leading these platforms, accusing them of prioritising their own job security and comfortable lifestyles over fostering innovation. "There are very few people I can even have a meaningful creative conversation with," he remarked.
Instead of working with people he feels are simply trying to maintain their positions, Kashyap said he prefers to wait for the system to collapse. "One day, everybody will fall," he said, suggesting that a downturn in the OTT market could pave the way for a new wave of creative filmmaking.
Despite his criticisms, Kashyap remains optimistic about the future of Indian cinema. "After we hit rock bottom, we will make films again. Golden times are coming," he predicted, expressing hope for a revival of bold and innovative storytelling.
Anurag Kashyap has had a significant relationship with OTT platforms, co-directing Sacred Games, Netflix’s first original Indian series, alongside Vikramaditya Motwane. He has also contributed to Netflix anthologies such as Lust Stories and Ghost Stories.