Celebrities or shows embroiled in controversies have often benefited from them instead of the scandal putting audiences off. The second season of Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent emerged as the third most-watched OTT property for the first half of 2026 with 38.5 million views, according to media consulting firm Ormax. His other comedy special Still Alive ranked 15th, making it clear that controversy can be a double-edged sword.
Shows featuring controversial figures often succeed, sparking conversation and fuelling long-term interest despite backlash and outrage.
Earlier, Tandav, the political thriller on Prime Video that religious outfits and political leaders had asked to be banned, and which was the first Indian web original to edit and modify portions, had clocked 3.2 million views within its first three days of release, rising to 5.9 million views in its second week.
Another show, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, which had courted controversy with the ministry of information and broadcasting asking platform executives to appear before it, also featured in Ormax’s list of most-watched Hindi web series for 2024, with 14 million views.
While the second season of India’s Got Latent is streaming across Netflix and YouTube, the first season was only available on YouTube, with views for some episodes touching 12 million.
Curiosity factor
“Controversy can be a double-edged sword, but there are shows or films that have benefited from it. The target audience for such titles often includes young adults between the ages of 18 to 35 and this demographic is drawn to provocative content and not afraid to express opinions online,” said Rajat Agrawal, chief operating officer, Ultra Media & Entertainment Group.
Not only are urban, educated audiences more likely to engage in discussions about social issues, politics and entertainment, there is often an overlap between the audience consuming the content and those condemning it online, Agrawal added.
“Some people might view this content to comment on its perceived flaws or controversies, share opinions, argue with others, or amplify their voice on social media,” he explained. This creates a complex dynamic where controversy fuels interest, and social media amplifies both support and criticism.
Buzz effect
“Viewership definitely sees an increase when major controversies erupt around a web show,” Shailesh Kapoor, founder and chief executive officer of Ormax, had agreed in an earlier interview, adding that the company had seen significant growth in audience recall for shows following controversies.
For example, the buzz for Tandav on Ormax’s weekly tracker jumped from 17% to 56% in the week the controversy erupted.
To be sure, industry experts believe controversy has always attracted viewers, but what has fundamentally changed today is the speed at which social media amplifies it.
In the past, a controversial film such as Padmaavat had earned more than ₹300 crore at the box office. Padmaavat (earlier titled Padmavati) was opposed by several Rajput caste organisations, including Shri Rajput Karni Sena, for allegedly portraying Rajput queen Padmavati in a poor light, with members vandalizing sets and threatening to disrupt screenings.
Outrage gap
Moreover, outrage on X or Instagram is loud, but it is rarely a perfect proxy for actual viewing behaviour, according to entertainment industry experts.
Neelesh Pednekar, co-founder and head of digital media at Social Pill, had said in an earlier interview that the people binge-watching eight episodes over a weekend are often not the same cohort crafting lengthy takedowns online.
“OTT platforms optimise for completion rates, watch hours, and repeat sessions, metrics that don’t necessarily dip because a show is being roasted online,” Pednekar had said.
In many cases, backlash plateaus after 48-72 hours, while the title continues to attract steady—or even growing—viewership, he had added.
“We have seen the same pattern consistently, however, what stands out is the audience behaviour: a large part of the online critics eventually watch the content themselves, often driven by curiosity or a need to validate their own viewpoint,” said Rajesh Sethi, partner and leader - media, entertainment and sports, PwC India.
For platforms, this dynamic typically results in an immediate viewership spike, and for creators, it can translate into short-term visibility, stronger show discovery and, in some cases, increased demand for live performances, Sethi added.
However, this does not automatically convert into sustained brand partnerships or long-term commercial upside.
At the end of the day, controversy gives a temporary lift and sharpens the spotlight, but lasting success still depends entirely on the strength and stickiness of the underlying content, he said.