An Indian theatrical release has reached 37 million views on Netflix, tying with the South African film 180 for the most-watched non-English movie of 2024. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos announced the milestone during a recent event in New Delhi.
The 37-million-stream tie with South Africa's 180
The scale of this viewership represents a significant milestone for non-English content on the platform. According to Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, the Indian film has officially matched the 37 million streams achieved by the South African breakout feature 180. This figure, which the company's biannual report confirms, places the film at the very top of the non-English category for the current year.
This surge in viewership suggests that the appetite for regional cinema is expanding beyond traditional strongholds. While Netflix has long seen success with South Korean and Spanish-language productions, the performance of this Indian title indicates a broadening of the global streaming audience's tastes. The film's ability to resonate across cultural boundaries has allowed it to compete directly with established regional powerhouses.
A $23 million US theatrical launch
The streaming success of the film was preceded by a dominant performance in movie theaters. As reported by the source, the Indian blockbuster earned $23 million in the United States alone and nearly $150 million in total worldwide revenue . This theatrical momentum created a built-in audience that transitioned seamlessly to the Netflix platform once the film became available for streaming.
The transition from a $150 million global box office run to a record-breaking streaming tenure highlights the synergy between traditional cinema and digital distribution. By incorporating a proven theatrical hit into its mainstream library, Netflix minimized the risk typically associated with introducing foreign-language content to a global audience. The high-intensity action and urban setting of the film provided a universal appeal that translated well across different markets.
Mid-budget pivots and the shift from tentpole releases
This success is not an isolated incident but part of a broader strategic shift at Netflix. The company is moving away from high-budget "tentpole" releases in favor of more modest, mid-budget blockbusters. This formula has already seen success with titles such as War Machine, The Rip, Thrash, Apex, and The Last House, and is now being applied to the international catalog.
By prioritizing compelling narratives over massive production budgets,Netflix is attempting to optimize its return on investment. This approach allows the streamer to diversify its portfolio, blending licensed regional hits with original mid-budget productions. The strategy aims to capture a wider variety of niche audiences without the financial volatility of spending hundreds of millions on a single project.
The missng title of the Indian blockbuster
Despite the detailed viewership and financial data provided by Netflix, a glaring omission remains: the specific title of the Indian film is not mentioned in the report. While we know the film earned $23 million in the US and hit 37 million streams, the lack of a name makes it impossible to verify the specific studio or director responsible for the hit.
Furthermore, the report focuses heavily on the statements of Ted Sarandos and Netflix's internal data, leaving the perspective of the film's original producers unaddressed. It remains unclear whether this licensing deal was a one-time arrangement or part of a larger partnership between Netflix and the Indian film industry to bring more theatrical hits to the platform.
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