Sacred Games controversy: Anurag Kashyap and Netflix CEO spar over launch strategy in India

The controversy began after Ted Sarandos' appearance on a podcast, where the executive reflected on Netflix's early foray into the Indian market with Anurag Kashyap's Sacred Games. 

New Delhi: Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has responded strongly to recent remarks made by Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos about the streaming platform's initial programming choices in India. Kashyap, who co-created Netflix India's debut original series 'Sacred Games', did not mince words in his criticism. The controversy began during Sarandos' appearance on a podcast, where the executive reflected on Netflix's early foray into the Indian market.

He expressed reservations about whether launching with 'Sacred Games' in 2018 was the right strategic move, suggesting the platform might have benefited from a more "populist" content offering at the time. Kashyap took to Instagram to express his displeasure, sharing a screenshot of a report on Sarandos' comments.
In a post, he wrote, "He should have started with Saas Bahu... he would have done well. Which he is doing now. I always knew the tech guys are dumb when it comes to storytelling, but @tedsarandos is the definition of dumb - that I didn't know. Good to discover that. This explains everything now."

 <br><br>'Sacred Games', starring Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, was widely praised upon its debut and marked a pivotal moment in India's streaming content landscape. Directed by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, the gritty thriller was lauded for its storytelling and production value, although its second season drew mixed reactions, and the series was not continued beyond that.&nbsp;</p><div type="dfp" position=2>Ad2</div>