Anurag Kashyap slams Netflix heads for hypocrisy: ‘Frustrated, jealous of shows like Adolescence’

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap didn't hold back in criticising Netflix and its top executives, accusing them of “hypocrisy” in approving content for the Indian market compared to the West. 

Anurag Kashyap recently watched the British Netflix drama Adolescence, which is receiving praise from all quarters. While praising Adolescence, the outspoken director admitted feeling jealous and envious, claiming Indian filmmakers aren’t given the same creative freedom to be as bold and daring as their counterparts in the West.

Anurag Kashyap praises ‘Adolescence’ after Shekhar Kapur

Anurag Kashyap took to Instagram to pen a long note praising Adolescence. 

He wrote, "I am numb and envious and jealous that someone can go and make that. The performances from the Child actor Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham, who is not just playing the father but is also the co-creator of the show. The amount of hard work that has gone in the show. I can’t even imagine the rehearsals and prep they did, so they could shoot every episode in a single shot."

In the comments section, he further criticised Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos and Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria, accusing them of prioritising the OTT giant's subscription in India rather than producing high-quality content.

Anurag Kashyap calls out hypocrisy of Netflix

Anurag Kashyap said, "Now coming to my envy and jealousy. Ted Sarandos recently put a post where he says - “every once and awhile one comes along that pushes into brand new territories, defies the limits of creativity and features career defining performances." And I hope he means it. Because his on Netflix.in is a totally opposite s**tshow. If they were pitched this, most probably they would have rejected it or turned it into a 90 minute film (that too seems like an impossibility because it doesn’t have an ending that is black and white)."

Anurag Kashyap claimed that he faced a “lack of empathy” from Netflix while working on the Sacred Games series, which was a great hit on the OTT platform.

“Having gone through twice with them post Sacred Games and dealing with total lack of empathy, courage and dumbness mixed with immense insecurity of the series head and the team that keeps getting fired. It frustrates me. How do we ever create something so powerful and honest with a bunch of most dishonest and morally corrupt @netflix.in backed so strongly by the boss in LA,” highlighted Anurag Kashyap.

He went on to name the top bosses of Netflix from LA and called them out for their “hypocrisy”. 

"This hypocrisy of Ted and Bella via a vis the Indian market of 1.4 billion people, where their only interest is an increase in subscriptions and nothing else. There was a time when Eric Barmack would reach out on Facebook to create something with Netflix to now where they send you a shot show like “saare jahan se achcha" - which wasn’t even written properly and half baked. Which by the way has already changed directors and been shot twice (inevitably). It makes me frustrated, jealous of shows like Adolescence and envious and hopeless," he said.

Despite all the complaints, Anurag Kashyap remains hopeful. 

He concluded, “I hope they learn from the reception of it and realise that all the best things Indian Netflix does is mostly either acquired (Delhi Crime, Black Warrant) or the ones they least believed in (Kohrra, Trial by Fire). Fingers crossed for a better future.”

Adolescence

Previously, Shekhar Kapur and Sudhir Mishra had praised Adolescence and wondered whether they would be allowed to create a similar project.

Adolescence is a British miniseries released on March 13. Created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, the series revolves around a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murder. The series' scenes, filmed in a single take, have impressed filmmakers worldwide.