By Anil Merani: Ekta Kapoor, the driving force behind Balaji Telefilms and ALTBalaji, has transformed Indian television through melodramatic sagas like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Her creative partnership with Netflix India, announced in June 2025, opens the door to replicating this success in the OTT realm, potentially making desi content a global staple beyond niche audiences. This collaboration could reshape Indian entertainment by blending Kapoor’s mass-market instincts with Netflix’s premium platform. However, to achieve the same level of ubiquity as her TV dominance, she will need to adapt her traditional television formula to cater to diverse, international viewers while aligning with Netflix’s preference for bold, edgy narratives. Below, we assess her potential to achieve this and how her approach to provocative content fits Netflix’s brand.
Kapoor’s reign in television, marked by TRPs as high as 20, stemmed from emotionally charged, family-focused dramas that captivated middle-class women and viewers from both rural and urban backgrounds. Her “saas-bahu” template, characterized by dramatic twists and relatable characters, became a cultural touchstone. However, OTT audiences—consisting of urban elites, the global diaspora, and Gen Z—crave nuanced storytelling over melodrama, as seen in their preferences for films like Stree. Kapoor’s ventures with ALTBalaji, which include romance (Broken But Beautiful), thrillers (Apharan), and bold dramas (Dev DD), showcase her versatility. Her tie-up with Netflix, building on past projects like Jaane Jaan and Kathal, aims to create “culturally rooted, emotionally resonant” stories. By merging her knack for mass appeal with Netflix’s high-quality production, Kapoor has the potential to create content that transcends India’s borders, appealing to both domestic and diaspora audiences.
Kapoor’s early success with regional content, such as dubbing the Tamil series Kudumbum into Hindi as Ghar Ek Mandir, highlights her understanding of India’s linguistic diversity. The vernacular focus of ALTBalaji provided it with an advantage in 2017, and she can leverage this on Netflix to target India’s 500 million-strong OTT market, which is projected to reach $5 billion by 2025. By refining regional hits like Naagin’s supernatural allure or Gandii Baat’s rural narratives with Netflix’s polished storytelling, she could attract Tier-2 and Tier-3 viewers while capturing international interest. Moving beyond the exaggerated drama typical of television, her ALTBalaji series Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain explores modern relationships with depth, signaling her ability to craft tighter narratives. Films like The Dirty Picture, with universal themes of empowerment, position her to create globally resonant, desi-rooted OTT content.
Bold Content: Bridging Kapoor’s Vision with Netflix’s Edge
Netflix’s reputation for gritty, boundary-pushing series like Sacred Games contrasts with Kapoor’s polarizing ALTBalaji offerings, raising questions about their compatibility. ALTBalaji’s XXX: Uncensored and Gandii Baat prioritize provocative, often erotic content to hook mass audiences, amassing 34 million paid users by 2022. While industry voices commend Kapoor’s savvy use of suggestive trailers, critics like Vinta Nanda have slammed her for leaning into “obscenity” without the narrative depth typical of Netflix’s Mirzapur. Unlike Sacred Games, where bold elements serve the plot, ALTBalaji’s content often feels sensational, which could clash with Netflix’s premium ethos.
Kapoor’s partnership with Netflix presents an opportunity to refine her approach. Past projects, such as Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare, showcase her ability to weave edgy, women-centric stories with nuance. By adopting Netflix’s focus on quality, she can temper ALTBalaji’s tendency toward titillation with sophisticated narratives, appealing to both urban and mass markets. Netflix’s Monika Shergill praised Kapoor’s ability to grasp the “audience pulse,” suggesting that her bold themes can be culturally authentic while also being globally appealing—much like a series that blends the emotional depth of Broken But Beautiful with the raw edge of Sacred Games.
While some critics question her ability to deliver “authentic” stories, citing her television legacy, her response to Anurag Kashyap’s critique of Netflix India’s conservatism demonstrates her intent to prioritize artistry. By navigating this backlash and aligning with Netflix’s storytelling standards, Kapoor can make desi OTT content ubiquitous, setting a new benchmark for Indian content worldwide.